Skowhegan residents are still being asked not to drink from the town’s water system because of concerns over potential contamination.
Maine Water Co. issued the initial order on Thursday after a resident reported a strange odor and taste from their tap water to its Skowhegan Division, according to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson Robert Long. An estimated 6,000 people are affected by the order.
Officials confirmed the report after examining a nearby hydrant and two supply ponds. They found a sheen on the ponds’ surfaces, Long said.
An investigation determining the sheen’s cause is ongoing.
Samples are being tested to ensure the town’s water meets state standards. Maine Water Co. expects to have the results by the end of Tuesday. It said it would maintain the do-not-drink order until the tests show the water is safe.
Maine Water Co. said it had switched the source of its water supply from ponds that it believes may have caused the potential contamination to the Kennebec River.
The state is working with Maine Water Co. to provide bottled water to residents at Skowhegan Community Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maine Water Co. also said it was providing bottled water to local schools.
Skowhegan residents are asked not to use town water for drinking, brushing their teeth or to make ice cubes.
Residents can still use the water for laundry and bathing.