What would you do if your water came out of the tap looking like this?

This is the reality for the residents of Lakeview, a town of 2000 people in Southern Oregon.

For years water here has come out of the taps brown and smelling like rotten eggs.

People say it destroys their hair, ruins their laundry.

Many don't use it at all.

But is it really unsafe?

The thing is, we don't actually know because the town hasn't tested their water for years, which the state of Oregon requires.

In December, we spent a week in Lakeview reporting on the town's struggles.

We were actually able to get a copy of two water reports from the local hospital.

They show elevated levels of lead and manganese, which can cause brain damage.

And iron, which can ruin the taste of the water.

Part of the problem is Lakeview Water System is falling apart.

Pipes here are decades old.

They're corroded in the leak often, and the town is on the verge of bankruptcy and has no money to fix it.

Some frustrated residents have taken matters into their own hands.

Scott Stewart spent a whole summer repairing an abandoned natural spring, hoping the brain his hometown, a cleaner source of water.

The town does plan to open a new water treatment plant in August, which they hope will improve the quality.

But until the taps run clear, its residents likely won't be satisfied.

You can read more at OPB.org