Mechanicville boil-water advisory could soon be lifted.
MECHANICVILLE — City residents could soon be able to drink their water without boiling it first, according to the state Department of Health.
A state-imposed boil-water advisory has been in place since Aug. 2 after routine sampling done by the city found the water to be too cloudy.
State health officials met with city water plant operators Tuesday morning and found the treatment facility “looked really stable,” said Gary Holmes, a Health Department spokesman.
“We decided to start the process for lifting the boil-water order,” he said.
That process involves two days of testing the water by the city and state.
“Assuming the levels are where we believe they will land, the city can share some good news with its residents Thursday,” Holmes said.
“We’ve been working with them pretty closely, and we’ve seen a positive progression.” The boil-water advisory was needed because cloudy water, or high turbidity, can compromise the disinfectant process at the treatment plant and increase the likelihood of contamination, he said.
Holmes said the heavy rains stirring up sediment in the city’s two reservoirs caused the water to be cloudy, and the treatment plant wasn’t able to filter out the turbidity.
Testing for bacteria at six locations in the city came back negative, Holmes said earlier this week.