Thursday, 4:30 PM
Water ban lifted in Blackstone after tests show no contamination
By Catherine Elton, Globe correspondent
BLACKSTONE -- Town officials announced this afternoon that tests showed the public water supply is not contaminated, but told residents to boil water to be used for drinking until at least Friday.
Town Administrator Ray Houle said the boil order is needed because flushing the water system could have put bacteria into the water. Officials issued a ban on any water use on Tuesday after they discovered vandals had broken into the town's water storage tank and rushed samples of residue found in a bucket nearby for testing.
The ban covered most of Blackstone's 9,000 residents and forced restaurants and other businesses to close.
Two 15-year-old boys have been charged with three felonies each in the vandalism: tampering with the public water supply, water pollution, and damage to public property. A 15-year-old girl is charged with misdemeanor trespassing. One boy and the girl attend Blackstone-Millville Regional High School, officials said.
