KATHLEEN, Ga. — Some people in Kathleen say seeing Houston County's fire department call in help to fight a fire demonstrates a problem they've talked about for years—a lack of access to county water.
A mobile home on Kovac Road burned down Sunday night. After the Houston County Fire Department worked to put the fire out with no hydrant nearby, they had to rely on water from a neighboring county.
"The fact that they ran out of water and there were no fire hydrants up here, that was back on Houston County and the water department. Whoever it is," Joey Bullington explained.
Some people on Kovac Road say they've asked for county water connections for years, but they're still getting their water from a well.
"The water main runs right by the end of the road down there and Houston County will not run it up. I mean, it’s a quarter of a mile where the water main is from here and they will not run it up here. They leave us with the wells," he said.
Bullington says well water simply isn't safe to use .
"The water out here isn't fit to drink -- it's full of iron, full of calcium, copper, sulfur. It’s just not fit to drink," he said.
Some people say the wells have ruined appliances and increased utility bills.
They say they've filed petitions, and Bullington says he's had the water tested.
"I had it tested years ago and was told the iron and copper levels were toxic in it and was told we didn't need to drink it and was told it was even worse for us to shower and bathe in it because of the steam coming off went right into your lungs and your bloodstream quicker than if you were drinking it," he explained.
People on Kovac Road have different theories on why the county will not add a water main line.
Some say Houston County wants residents to pay, others say county officials tell them it’s not in the budget.
"I don't know if there's not enough of a tax base on this road or what it is, they're not concerned at all about getting water up here to us,” he said.
We reached out to Houston County commissioners to ask about the neighborhood and the lack of water. They did not respond for comment.