Water use advisory lifted

MOSES LAKE — Restrictions on water use within a housing development on Pelican Point were lifted Wednesday after tests of additional water samples for E. coli came back negative.

The state Department of Health reported E. coli bacteria was discovered in one sample of five taken from the water supply Saturday.

Huck Goodrich, owner of Pelican Point Water Company, said he believes the sample he took was a bad one. The sample which acame back positive for E. coli was taken at Goodrich's home. He said he had difficulty opening the jar to take the water sample, and the pliers used to open the jar were not disinfected.

"I think it was just a bad sample," Goodrich said.

After the sample came back positive for the bacteria, Goodrich chlorinated the system and flushed it out, then took five new samples. All came back satisfactory Tuesday, he said. Another set of samples came back satisfactory Wednesday, he said.

Residents of the roughly 300-home housing development were advised to boil tap water 3 to 5 minutes before use or to use bottled water instead.

The state Department of Health lifted the advisory, Goodrich said. Residents can now use the water as usual.