State Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Thursday that his office has started a formal investigation into the City of Apalachicola and its ongoing water problems.
The city’s water system was damaged during Hurricane Helene in 2024, specifically an odor scrubber, which helps remove the smell of sulfides from the water – many people liken it to the smell of rotten eggs.
City residents have been complaining about the smell and some discoloration in the water, saying it is undrinkable – though city officials say the water is safe to consume.
There is a precautionary boil water notice in effect for city water customers.
Repairs are underway, but it could be sometime in August before a new scrubber is installed and approved for use.
In a post on twitter, Uthemier said residents in the city are suffering.
He said the water is dirty and unusable, adding that there is a putrid, foul odor. And it must be boiled before people can drink it, cook with it or even brush their teeth.
Uthmeier called it a “failure of leadership at the city level.”
He said the city has received millions of dollars to fix its water filtration system and yet months have gone by with no response whatsoever to fix the compromised system.
He said the office of the state attorney general will now work with his statewide prosecution team, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the department of health, the department of environmental protection and any state and federal authorities to see if any state or federal laws have been broken.
He is also referring the issue to Florida’s DOGE to see if any financial mismanagement has occurred and they will use every tool they have to bring any civil or criminal remedy necessary.
The city’s water system was damaged during Hurricane Helene in 2024, specifically an odor scrubber, which helps remove the smell of sulfides from the water – many people liken it to the smell of rotten eggs.
City residents have been complaining about the smell and some discoloration in the water, saying it is undrinkable – though city officials say the water is safe to consume.
There is a precautionary boil water notice in effect for city water customers.
Repairs are underway, but it could be sometime in August before a new scrubber is installed and approved for use.
In a post on twitter, Uthemier said residents in the city are suffering.
He said the water is dirty and unusable, adding that there is a putrid, foul odor. And it must be boiled before people can drink it, cook with it or even brush their teeth.
Uthmeier called it a “failure of leadership at the city level.”
He said the city has received millions of dollars to fix its water filtration system and yet months have gone by with no response whatsoever to fix the compromised system.
He said the office of the state attorney general will now work with his statewide prosecution team, along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the department of health, the department of environmental protection and any state and federal authorities to see if any state or federal laws have been broken.
He is also referring the issue to Florida’s DOGE to see if any financial mismanagement has occurred and they will use every tool they have to bring any civil or criminal remedy necessary.
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