{"id":724325,"date":"2026-06-25T03:05:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T03:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/724325\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T03:05:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T03:05:24","slug":"we-just-want-answers-and-clean-water-dover-dr-residents-speak-on-water-quality-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/724325\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe just want answers and clean water\u201d: Dover Dr. residents speak on water quality issue"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jars,Jars, a bottle and a capsule of discolored, undrinkable and unsafe water shown up along the Dover Drive neighborhood in west Salina – Photo by Nicolas Fierro<\/p>\n

By: NICOLAS FIERRO<\/p>\n

Salina Post<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just want answers and clean water,\u201d said a Dover Drive resident on the water quality issue in the west Salina neighborhood.<\/p>\n

After Monday’s Salina City Commission meeting<\/a>, the discolored, undrinkable and unsafe water along the neighborhood has gained public attention.<\/p>\n

Sharee Spratlen, spokesperson and resident of Dover, urged the commission along with city staff\u00a0for a permanent solution.<\/p>\n

Spratlen said at Monday’s meeting that she has been in consistent contact with the City of Salina\u2019s Utilities\/Water Department about this issue since July 23, 2025.<\/p>\n

She said herself and the rest of the residents feel nothing was mentioned to the Commissioners or City Manager regarding their water problems since then.<\/p>\n

Moreover,\u00a0Spratlen and the residents want transparency from Commissioners, the City Manager and the Utilities\/Water Department about what is being said on their concerns after Monday\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n

\"DoverDover Drive resident Sheree Spratlen shows two containers of discolored water Salina Commissioners on June 22 – Screenshot of Salina City Commission public meeting \"PhotosPhotos by Nicolas Fierro\"\"\/\"ColiformColiform bacteria are present in this blue-green water capsule. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), if coliform bacteria is in your water, your risk of contracting an illness is increased, and you need to address the problem.Frustrated residents<\/p>\n

Salina Post sat down with five residents, including Spratlen to hear their thoughts about the issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each of them shared the costs, upkeep, and cleanliness for their household items and appliances along with the emotions of frustration throughout their experience.<\/p>\n

One resident (wanted to remain anonymous) said they had their sidewalk replaced due to the hydrant flushing collapsing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sidewalk was ruined, the street was ruined and everything was orange,” the resident said. “If they (Utilities Department) saw how the sidewalk looked, then they know what the bathroom, kitchen and sink look like. It stains that bad that you have to use rust remover to get your appliances cleaned.”<\/p>\n

\"SidewalkSidewalk along Dover Drive, showing rusted\/orange color – Photo taken by Nicolas Fierro on June 23, 2026\"<br>\"\/<\/p>\n

Another resident of Dover, Linda mentioned replacing her washer due to the quality of water. Both her and the resident mentioned having reverse osmosis as well. They have had to replace their filters (each costing $100 to replace).<\/p>\n

\u201cI can go right now and tell you my filters need to be changed again. When you open those cartridges and pull that filter out, it is orange.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both are next-door neighbors and were diagnosed with the same type of lung cancer in the same timeframe, while living on Dover Dr.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that a coincidence?\u201d said Linda.<\/p>\n

Each resident has expressed of spending plenty of money on consistently cleaning their appliances, purchasing bottled water and filters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is something they don\u2019t understand. You are asking to go to 2028 and keep doing this? It\u2019s been too long and we have had enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Salina Post spoke with the City of Salina Utilities Department regarding the discolored water along Dover Drive.<\/p>\n

According to the Director of Utilities, Martha Tasker stated she has spoken with residents of Dover about the issue.<\/p>\n

Tasker said back in 2011 – 2013, water main replacements were and are being conducted throughout the city. The Dover Drive project to replace the water main from Broadway Blvd. to Republic Ave. would be a 2028 project.<\/p>\n

However, Tasker would like to move this project to 2027.<\/p>\n

For this to be moved to next year, it would need to be approved by the City Commission.<\/p>\n

Read more:\u00a0City of Salina speaks on discolored water at neighborhood<\/a><\/p>\n

The residents also mentioned that the water is not safe enough to bathe children in and they resort to doing it elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\"SpratlenSpratlen requested the city commission for reimbursement on the previously paid water bills, assistance for the cost of bottled water, while considering the damage to appliances and household items due to discolored water – Photo of water bills from May 2025 to Mar. 2026 totaling $669.09\"DoverDover Dr. resident, Mike shows pictures of discolored water in his home – Photo by Nicolas FierroPersistence<\/p>\n

Spratlen emphasized her persistence in expressing this issue to the commissioners at each public meeting, or in any way she could.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will keep on until I have something recorded or in writing with a date,\u201d said Spratlen. \u201cOnce I have that and if it is not done by whatever that time is, we are going to court.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commissioner Doug Rempp was mentioned by the residents as someone who has the \u201cbest interest of the public.”<\/p>\n

\u201cHe reached out to me on Facebook after hearing about this on the radio (KINA 910 AM\/107.5 FM),\u201d said Spratlen.<\/p>\n

She said none of the other commissioners has reached out to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the city can\u2019t do this project right now, then it is their responsibility to find funds and take care of this. Not two years from now,\u201d said Debbie, a resident of Dover.<\/p>\n

Mike who moved into Dover in April 2025, discovered the discolored water when he first arrived. He questioned why the city was constantly flushing hydrants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a mess,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A community with a passion to help<\/p>\n

Eagle Media radio station KINA, The Cozy Inn Hamburgers and The Granny Brigade have partnered for a community water drive to help Salina families affected by unsafe water across the city.<\/p>\n

Read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Acceptables donations:<\/p>\n

– Bottled water<\/p>\n

– Cases of water<\/p>\n

– Gallon jugs of water<\/p>\n

Drop off locations:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0– KINA Radio, 1825 S. Ohio Street<\/p>\n

– The Cozy Inn Hamburgers,\u00a0108 N. 7th St<\/p>\n

The bottled, cases and\/or gallon jugs of water will be distributed once you drop them off at these locations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Cozy Inn will give you 20% off on your order if you drop off a case of water.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe power of radio as a voice for the people is still strong,” said Chris Cadle, Program Director for KINA 910AM and 107.5FM. “We had no idea this situation was happening in our town until a listener called in to KINA Coffee Talk to express her concerns. From there many others came forward and we knew something had to be done. We can\u2019t fix the problem but we sure can inform those who need to be, aware of the situation and keep them accountable to fix it. Until then we are trying to help by doing a water drive with the help of the Granny Brigade and The Cozy Inn and of course the amazing listeners and residents of our great community.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Salina Post will continue\u00a0to provide updates and follow up on this developing story.<\/p>\n

\"DoverDover Drive residents holding up discolored and undrinkable water in their west Salina neighborhood. Names in order of picture: Sharee Spratlen, Linda, Debbie & Mike – Photo by Nicolas Fierro <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jars, a bottle and a capsule of discolored, undrinkable and unsafe water shown up along the Dover Drive…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":724326,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[192,79],"class_list":["post-724325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/724325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=724325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/724325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/724326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=724325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=724325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=724325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}