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Flood waters contaminate drinking water for some Claiborne Co. residents

The county's EMA delivered drinking water to affected neighbors Tuesday.

SPEEDWELL, Tenn. — Floodwaters still haven't drained in Claiborne County.

The historic flooding is contaminating the drinking water for neighbors off of Loy Road near Highway 63.

15 people there get their water from a spring.

TEMA and the county's emergency management agency stepped in to help.

"This is actually our driveway, it goes to three homes up on a hill," Travis Dunn explained.

RELATED: Here's how much damage flooding did to each East Tennessee county

The scene looks pretty grim, but Dunn and his neighbors are trying to look on the dry side of a wet situation.

"As you can see, there's no driveway," Dunn said. "We now have lakeside property. That's the running joke right now. I'm sure with taxes going up, they'll come out and appraise that a little higher. But it's all good."

The floodwaters mean they can't drive up to their homes--instead they have to walk up a muddy hill.

"We had to go through cattle fields and fences to get out," Dunn said. "In the last forty to sixty years, they've never seen it this bad."

RELATED: Roane County faces nearly $6 million in flood damage, pushing state toward FEMA aid qualification

What's worse is all the cow manure from the fields seeped into the spring, contaminating the well system that serves three homes.

"This is the only way that they're going to be able to have any kind of drinking water," Joshua Hale said.

Hale and the Claiborne County Emergency Management Agency delivered water to Dunn and his neighbors, courtesy of TEMA.

The agency says it's seen damage across the county.

Road damage is estimated at nearly $350,000 with 26 homes damaged, and eight roads closed. 

"If you have a problem, you know, call us," Hale said.  "All we can say is no if we can't help, but a lot of things we can help on. If you need food or water, don't be shy, call us, we'd be more than happy to bring it out to you."

RELATED: Cedar Bluff families trapped by six feet of water

Hale helped pass out the bottles to Dunn and his neighbors.

Dunn says they need all the help they can get. 

Now, he says he feels the strength of the community coming together.

"It's truly a blessing for them to reach out," Dunn said. "We live in a great community, we live in a great county."

Dunn is hoping the county can come up with a way to get rid of the water.

Otherwise, it will just have to drain off itself, which could take months.

The county doesn't have a plan yet.

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