By Scott StaffordThe Berkshire Eagle ADAMS — All water tests taken since the boil water order was issued Thursday have come up clear of any contaminants, but for now the advisory remains in effect until the state officially removes it, according to John Barrett, superintendent of the Adams Fire District.
He said the notice could come today but cautioned that the boil order is still in effect for now.
The issue started when samples taken on Aug. 20 came back the next day with an E. coli presence detected in the town water tank, Barrett said.
Resampling was done that day on the tank and the surrounding water system, and the results issued on Wednesday showed no signs of E. coli but did show the presence of total coliform bacteria at two homes adjacent to the water tank, which automatically sparked the boil water order.
He noted that all of these actions are required by DEP regulations.
All samples since then, Barrett noted, have been clear of any contaminants after being tested in a state lab.
Restaurants were hit especially hard.
As a result of this incident, the town and the fire district, which has authority over the water system, will be examining ways to improve communication between both organizations, and communications to town residents in emergency situations.
The town government has no authority over the Adams Fire District, noted John Duval, chairman of the Adams Select Board.
"The town and the fire district have to meet so we can have a plan for such incidents in the future," Duval said.