Half way home: first Petrolia water test comes back clean

Drinking fountains at Petrolia and Central Lambton schools, including these at LCCVI, are off limits until the boil water advisory is lifted.

The first water sample in Petrolia has come back clean.

Wednesday afternoon, the Town of Petrolia issued a Boil Water Advisory after a water main break on Petrolia Line near Fairbank House. The alert  was extended to Enniskillen, Oil Springs and Dawn-Euphemia about three hours later.

Tests from water taken after a water main break  was fixed showed the presence of eColi bacteria. Phil Powers of the water department in Petrolia says the levels of chlorine in the sample was still at acceptable limits indicating the eColi presence may have come when the water main rupture was being repaired.

Provincial protocol says municipalities must have two clean water samples before an advisory can be lifted. Powers says the first sample has come back clean. Results from the second sample taken today will be available Friday. If it is clear, the boil water advisory will be lifted.

The advisory caused a stir with local grocery stores running low on bottled water as people scooped up what they could to avoid spending time boiling water. Local schools also brought in bottled water and shut down fountains as a precaution.