"Our Water Is Safe" Says Mayor As Water Ban Lifted In Toledo And Parts Of Monroe County

TOLEDO, Ohio (WWJ/AP) - After a weekend of water-less drama, the Toledo mayor told the public the water ban has been lifted in northwest Ohio and the drinking water for 400,000 residents is safe.

"We are lifting in conjunction with the Ohio EPA the 'no drink' advisor. Our water is safe," said Toledo Mayor Michael Collins.

The Toledo's Mayor's Office also released a statement:

Effective immediately, customers of the City of Toledo Public Water system may now safely drink tap water. Consistent test results have shown microcystin no longer exceeds the recommended drinking water warning of 1 microgram per liter standard set by the World Health Organization in testing done by the City of Toledo, the Ohio EPA and the USEPA.

1) Run hot water taps for up to 15 minutes and cold water tap for up to 15 minutes

2) Clean and remove ice from ice makers and flush by running new ice and discarding before consuming.

3) Flush water softeners and/or water filtration systems in the same manner as noted above.

Additional details on these procedures can be found on the Toledo Public Health and Lucas County, Ohio websites.

"We are asking the public to conserve non-essential water usage to help our water treatment plant as it returns to full operation. Conservation efforts, such as refraining from watering grass, should continue until further notice," the city says.

For customers who have concerns regarding flushing of household water, if you have had no water use (including flushing toilets), the city is recommending flushing the water lines in your home. If you have used water in your home (showering, washing hands) it is not necessary to flush your lines.

Distribution centers will close at 11 a.m.

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