May 31, 2008 12:53 pm US/Pacific
Health Dept. Says Las Lomas Water Is Safe To Drink
LAS LOMAS (BCN) ―
The California Department of Public Health has authorized the California Water Services Company to lift a "do not drink" advisory on water in the Las Lomas area of Monterey County, officials reported Saturday.
Cal Water customers can now resume normal use of water and can bring receipts for bottled water purchased during the "do not drink" advisory into Cal Water for reimbursement.
Officials at Cal Water, which serves between 2,000 and 3,000 customers, believed the water could have been contaminated after they found a storage tank broken into May 24 and initial tests found traces of mercury.
Officials reported Friday that extensive testing had determined that the water did not contain mercury, or any other harmful contaminant, but advised that residents should continue to avoid drinking the water until the state health department confirmed that the water was safe to drink, according to Cal Water.
The initial results that tested positive for mercury were taken by Monterey Bay Analytical Services, a state-certified company.
Cal Water subsequently tested the water and determined there was no presence of mercury. The water was also tested to make sure there were no other contaminants in it.
Although the sheriff's office, which is investigating the vandalism, reported that it didn't appear that anything had been placed in the water, Cal Water will not put the affected tank back into service until further testing has been completed.
In the meantime, customers are being asked to conserve water as much as possible.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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