Some residents still distrust Salem water despite advisory lifting

"Sticking to bottled water," another commenter posted.
"I am still sticking to bottled water for at least another month just to be sure," read one more.
Despite city officials lifting the drinking water advisory last week, some in Salem are still wary of the water flowing from the tap.
Judy Stanley, a 68-year-old semi-retired South Salem resident with diabetes, said she will be drinking bottled water for at least another month, watching to see if algal toxins in the water rise above health advisory levels again.
The first do-not-drink advisory was placed May 29, three days after the city learned cyanotoxins were detected in Salem’s drinking water for the first time.
That initial alert was lifted on June 2, only for another one to be placed four days later On June 10, the second advisory was extended for at least two weeks regardless of test results, in part, the city said, to give residents more clarity as to the current water quality.
"I’m still going to continue to use bottled water for a while until I see the testing method that they’re using is actually holding up."
Powers agreed the on-again, off-again nature of the early water advisories has hurt the city’s credibility.
The social media posts from the last few days mirror the calls Salem Public Works received throughout the water crisis.
Powers said they will continue to release testing data online so people can decide for themselves if they want to drink city water.

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