Some Roma residents say their tap water smells bad enough that they're avoiding using it for everyday tasks.

Yolanda Peña, a Roma resident who has lived there her entire life, said the smell is noticeable even when running water outside.

"The water is looking very ugly, and it smells bad," Peña said.

Channel 5 News ran into Peña outside her home. She said the smell is so bad she's avoiding washing her clothes.

"I am not doing laundry; look at how the clothes are going to look. The water is for everything to make food and more for cleaning, like taking a shower, but it is water that smells bad. It is not fair," Peña said.

She also described what the water smells like.

"You can smell this water; it smells like chemicals," Peña said.

The city said it is aware of the complaints.

On Tuesday, city of Roma officials told Channel 5 News the source of the smell is believed to have been "contractors installing border-security infrastructure and law-enforcement activity in the river near the city’s raw-water intake," but did not elaborate.

"Based on the timing and location of this activity, and because sampling and operational reviews have ruled out other identified treatment-plant and distribution-system causes, the city currently believes this activity caused the reported odor," the city of Roma said in a social media statement published on Wednesday. "The contractors and law enforcement agencies involved have been notified and asked to cooperate by avoiding activity within the posted 100-foot restricted area around the raw-water intake while the matter is evaluated."

Channel 5 News reached out to Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday for comment. As of Wednesday afternoon, the agencies did not provide a statement.

Workers are now flushing water lines and monitoring water quality at the water treatment plant.

"We are verifying that the turbidity readings are OK, and they are. They are well below the standard of TCEQ and we are keeping track of complaints that are more problematic," Assistant City Manager of Roma Alfonso Ramirez said.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) received three complaints about the water and is investigating.

Channel 5 News reached out to the TCEQ, which said Roma Public Water System's most recent violation was in November 2025.

The city said current water quality readings and chlorine levels meet TCEQ requirements. The TCEQ classifies taste and odor issues as secondary water quality concerns tied to the aesthetic qualities of drinking water.

Workers will also monitor water quality and chlorine levels, document customer reports and continue looking into the source of the odor. Residents may notice temporary changes in water clarity or pressure while the flushing work is underway.

Peña said if the problem continues, she'll have to find other options.

"We are going to have to leave here and shower somewhere else and the food. This is not right. This is going to be a problem," Peña said.

Watch the video above for the full story.