By Matthew Van Dongen, originally posted on September 24, 2016

More water tests are needed before the city’s precautionary boil water advisory for Brigadoon Drive residents can be called off.

City officials said tests from five of six hydrants in the neighbourhood came back late Friday night completely clean — but one sample showed “a very small amount of non-harmful bacteria,” water director Andrew Grice Saturday.

“In order to verify the safety of the water we will need two consecutive back-to-back clean sets of test results.”

The setback means the precautionary boil water advisory will remain in place until at least Monday morning, Grice said.

The area of Brigadoon that is affected is from Apple Blossom Drive to Glenview Place, Matthew Street, Nature Court, Gledhill Crescent, Galt Street and Graywood Road.

The precautionary boil water advisory was issued Sept. 21 after lab results indicated there was excessive bacterial contamination in a water sample collected on Sept. 19 from a fire hydrant on Brigadoon near Nature Court.

No water sample taken to date has actually turned up harmful bacteria, Grice emphasized. But even samples showing benign bacteria must be taken seriously in case harmful micro-organisms are hidden by the result.

Hamilton public health has strongly urged the affected residents not to use their water for drinking or, if they must, to boil it at a rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for drinking and other uses such as brushing your teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, washing dishes or making meals.

Public health has several other procedures and precautions for residents to take at hamilton.ca.