Despite preliminary tests coming back with no sign of more E-coli, a boil water notice will remain in place for Waimarama residents.
The council said the boil water notice would remain in place until it had a better idea of why there was a positive E-coli result yesterday. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The warning went out to residents of the Hawke's Bay town yesterday after tests taken from the Hastings District Council water supply there came back with low levels of the contaminant.
The district council said preliminary results from six sites across Waimarama came back clear this afternoon, but further results were expected over the coming days.
The results are the first since the positive E-coli samples yesterday triggered the boil water notice and the introduction of chlorine into the supply.
The council said it was keeping the warnings in place to be safe until it had a better idea of why there was a positive result.
Public drinking taps have been turned off and taps in public toilets signposted as 'For hand washing only; Please do not drink'.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the system was chlorinated overnight and the presence of the bacteria in the supply yesterday would be investigated.
He said the Waimarama supply was separate to the Hastings supply and he was unaware of it having had any problems before.