@fresco,
The could have gone to the local hardware store, picked up some screen, a few valves, a pipe and some screws to make a reverse hydro-mitration filter that they could have put in the reservoir. Then they could tell the public about that they have done something to address the "problem".
It would have would have solved the problem with no reduction to the quality of water and would have cost $20 (That is an unmodified twenty dollars).
Flushing 39 million gallons of perfectly good water for no good reason is an insane waste.