About 20 homes in San Carlos will be without water service over the anticipated hot weekend because of a vexing water pipe replacement project.
The City of San Diego began a much needed upgrade of water pipes around Tommy Drive in April, telling nearby residents the work would last three weeks.
But nearly three weeks into May, construction is still in progress.
Service to nearby homes was shut off late Thursday and residents were told it would not be turned back on until Sunday.
To make matters worse, neighbors said crews are working through the night.
“My neighbor across the street came out at 1 o’clock in the morning in her pajamas to vent her frustrations to the workers. You get to that tipping point of ‘OK, I can’t take any more, we need sleep,’” said Angie Johnson.
Other residents told NBC 7 that earlier in the construction phase, their water turned brown and was undrinkable. The city said the problem was caused by temporary above-ground water lines.
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“The temporary pipes installed by the contractor passed water quality testing requirements when they were originally installed,” said Alec Phillip, a public information officer with the city.
To make amends for turning off the water, the city installed several temporary water tanks on the street and has even offered to put up families in hotels.
But for some residents with small children, it’s not a convenient option.
“It’s been frustrating, but at the same time, I really do understand it,” said Ray Wyatt, who’s lived in the area for 19 years.
“I have three dogs. I could have used a bit of a heads-up,” Wyatt added.
City crews took water samples on Friday.
According to Phillip, officials said they are “performing exploratory tests of the water to get an accurate depiction of the water quality in the area."
