The Pas boil water advisory lifted

Residents in The Pas no longer need to boil their tap water before drinking it after the town announced the province lifted a boil water advisory that had been in place for five days.

In a letter addressed to municipal superintendent Sam Mizra on Wednesday, medical officer of health for the Northern Regional Health Authority, Randy Gessell says that the town's water had passed all necessary tests.

"The Pas water system has met all conditions for rescinding the boil water advisory and...bacteriological testing results meet regulatory standards," Gessell wrote in the letter.

The boil water advisory was put in place on Aug. 17, after a water line by the Saskatchewan River was accidentally severed the night before. That forced the local treatment plant to tap into a well of "unknown water quality" to maintain water service, Manitoba government officials said in an advisory.

Initially residents were warned not to drink the water at all, but later that day residents were told they could drink the water if they boiled it first.

In a post on its Facebook page, the town thanked "for their patience and understanding."