BOERNE, Texas – Some residents are raising concerns after noticing brown, discolored water coming from their taps, prompting questions about what is causing it and whether it is safe to drink.

Boerne Utilities said the discoloration is tied to flooding in June and July that increased the amount of naturally occurring organic material in Boerne City Lake, including “trees, dirt and plants.”

Laura Robinson said she first noticed the issue at her northern Boerne home Tuesday morning.

“I noticed that our toilet water was brown I cleaned the toilet cuz I was like this is disgusting and it still stayed brown And I was like okay, this is strange and then I drew a bath for my daughter and it was brown and I was Like okay, this is really interesting and different,” Robinson said.

Robinson said she also saw other residents posting about the issue online.

“I saw some photos on Facebook and some people’s water looked like really gross,” she said.

Boerne Utilities said the discoloration is a natural process following the flooding and that the water is completely safe. Chris, speaking about the cause, said floodwater flowed into Boerne City Lake from Upper Cibolo Creek, bringing debris that is now settling.

“What we saw were several large flushes of floodwater into Boerne City Lake from Upper Cibolo Creek. And with that, there is just a lot of natural debris that was initially on the surface of the water that is now settling. But that is causing some of the discoloration we’re seeing,” he said.

For residents seeing discolored water, Boerne Utilities recommends letting the water run briefly.

“Let it run for a minute or two and let it cycle through. If it continues, again, it is still completely safe. And hopefully within the next day or two, it’ll continue to cycle out,” the utility said.

The city said the water was tested and meets safety requirements set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the EPA.

Robinson said even with assurances, she does not plan to drink the water if it is discolored.

“Honestly, probably not, but yeah, if it was brown at all I’m not drinking it, I don’t think,” she said.

Boerne Utilities said the discoloration could continue on and off for a few weeks.