Virginia town facing local emergency as residents grapple with brown water, low pressure

CREWE, Va. — Jessica Marston can get only a trickle out of her kitchen sink as the town of Crewe struggles to produce drinking water for its residents.

The mother of two said her pressure has been low for three days now, creating added challenges in caring for her family.

"At this point, I can't even bathe my baby. I have a one-year-old child. I have a 12-year-old son, and we're having to go to the next town where my family is just to take a bath," Marston said.

Local and state officials said it all started Sunday when the town storage tanks were emptied due to a water main break. From there, the problems have only piled up.

Town Manager Phil Miskovic said he was not available for an interview Wednesday but provided information to CBS 6 through email.

He said the line has since been repaired, but that additional issues at the water treatment plant have prevented the storage tanks from filling up.

Those issues included a malfunctioning raw water pump and production disruptions due to new filters needing to be cleaned more frequently than expected.

The burst pipe is also causing discolored water, and officials say they can't flush the lines until production levels return to normal.

"I'm fortunate on this end of town; the water seems clear. People that I know that live on the east end of town, they actually have mud, and their water is coming out brown with sediment and nuts coming out of their bathtubs or sinks or toilets," Marston said.

A boil water advisory remains in effect.

CBS 6 asked Miskovic when pressure and quality will be restored, but he did not provide a direct answer. He said a temporary pump is being installed at the plant which will help but that water production is still dependent on the filters.

Miskovic said the town is working to declare a local emergency. At one point, officials warned of a likely total water loss.

Officials are encouraging residents to conserve water and to check the town website for updates. A water distribution event was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at Veteran's Memorial Park.

For Marston, problems with the aging water system have become routine to the point that she does not trust drinking the water.

"This is the worst that it's been, the longest stretch that I can remember, but yes, unfortunately, we're having water issues time and time again," Marston said.

A state-managed project is underway that will eventually replace the main water line. According to Miskovic, design and easement proposals were completed earlier this year, but the attorney general's office still needs to approve the proposals.

That same project also aims to completely replace the water treatment plant, but Miskovic said the General Assembly has not yet allocated funding for it.

Separately, the Virginia Department of Health said it gave Crewe more than $4 million in 2025 to upgrade its smaller in-town pipes, but that the town still has not started to use the money.

Miskovic said that project is in the design phase, but that those pipes are not directly related to the current emergency.

"Long-term, I'm hoping that we're able to get something done with this infrastructure that apparently has major failures, and to just be able to provide clean drinking water, clean bathing water, cooking water for all the citizens that live here," Marston said.

This is a developing story, so check back with WTVR.com for updates. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have info, photos or videos to share.