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GIBSONVILLE — Black goop collects around the faucets and shower heads in Joe Albino's house.

One day, a glob of the unknown stuff dripped onto his bare leg.

"I had to use WD-40 to get it off," Albino said. He lives in Gibsonville's Walnut Crossing subdivision, one of several neighborhoods that have popped up along N.C. 70 in eastern Guilford County in recent years.

The substance, he says, has built up at the ends of fixtures for several years. To keep ahead of the mess where it collects, Albino said he and his wife wipe down the toilets, faucet aerators and shower heads.

In a few days, the stuff builds up again.

He and his neighbors call it goop, gunk, grease and an unknown substance. It looks kind of like mildew, but it's tacky and gooey.

Though local and state water quality officials haven't identified the stuff, they say the water is safe to drink.

Ken Ferrell, who lives a few doors from Albino on the same street, said he soaks fixtures in a bowl of acid-based cleaner to get the gunk out.

"It's in both my toilets and both my shower heads," Ferrell said. "We just quit drinking the water out of the spigot."

The neighborhood's water comes from Gibsonville, which receives most of its water from Burlington.

Water quality officials in both municipalities have said the water systems deliver good water, according to their tests.

"We've done everything in our power," said Coy May, utilities director for Gibsonville. That even included a water test at Albino's house.

Water quality samples usually aren't collected inside a person's home, May said.

Gibsonville flushes water lines near the neighborhood and tests for chlorine levels. After several calls from Albino and a petition with more than 40 residents' signatures, Gibsonville pointed them to the state.

But state lab tests didn't reveal much more than Gibsonville's tests.

"We had some hits on some trace stuff, which does lead me to believe that there's something," said Lee Spencer, regional engineer for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. "They're all way, way below the exposure limits that are considered to be health concerns."

Still, nobody can say for sure what's collecting at the taps.

"They test the water, but they don't test the product that's coming out of the water," Albino said. "Nobody wants to take a sample. And we've got plenty of samples."

Albino moved to the subdivision in 2005. It was then owned by Pierce Homes. The developer later sold the neighborhood to CP Morgan, which is expanding the development.

Residents living in the new construction have not had the water problems that Albino and his neighbors have had.

William Sherman, president of a commercial water quality lab in Raleigh, said it appears that the state and local water quality experts have done their part.

"I wouldn't say that's being ignored," he said, adding that most municipalities are responsive to water quality issues.

Sherman said the residue could be caused by mineral deposits or something from the water line when Pierce Homes built the neighborhood a few years ago.

Though finding out exactly what it is could get pricey. Not including test fees, Sherman said, hiring a water quality technician can cost $50 an hour.

Each lab test costs more on top of that.

But it doesn't appear that money is a barrier for Walnut Crossing residents. Some say you can't put a price on peace of mind.

"We're willing to pay for that test of the product," Albino said.
"We just don't know where to go anymore."

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com