Oklahoma Environmental Quality has issued a violation notice to the city of Coweta due to insufficient chlorine in the water supply.

The state and the city of Coweta insist the water is safe to drink, even as residents complain about the taste and odor. Chlorine is a disinfectant, and state testing showed it was low in water tested at the end of the pipes.

City Manager Julie Casteen said staff turnover at the water treatment plant, during a time of increased use, including routine hydrant testing by firefighters, created a situation where treatment was inadequate.

“That has been corrected over the last 3 days or so and we have gotten the system up to where it needs to be when it leaves the plant,” said Casteen, who said the city would begin slowly flushing the lines on Monday to ensure fully treated water reaches all parts of the system.

Casteen said the city has 3,700 water customers and a water treatment plant with sufficient capacity to supply water from the Verdigris River.

Coweta’s water is strictly monitored by the state and DEQ tests show it is safe, even though it fails customer taste and smell tests.

The DEQ issued a violation notice on June 20 after testing revealed insufficient chlorine in the water system’s end lines.

The city was given 14 days to fix the problem, but the state has not ordered customers to boil their water.

“We have identified issues with low chlorine levels. We have not seen anything that would warrant a precautionary measure or a mandatory boil measure,” said Erin Hatfield, DEQ communications director.

According to Hatfield, home filters would likely improve taste and smell.

The 2023 State Report on Coweta Water:

Related: ‘So horrible’: Coweta mother worries about her family’s health amid water quality issues and superintendent’s resignation