Clean water on the way for Compton, Willowbrook residents

LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - Crews Monday began the first phase of getting clean water to residents in Compton and Willowbrook, who reported brown water coming from their pipes.

Nearly 7,000 customers with the old Sativa Water District claimed for months that instead of clear clean tap water, they were met with murky, brown water with a foul smelling odor. Officials said the brown water was caused by manganese from old pipes combined with the system's well walls were to blame.

The Los Angeles County Public Works will make an emergency connection to a neighborwing water company to start flushing out the system.

Bottled water is available to residents while the crews work to install the new water system.

The work is expected to be completed by September 15.