A boil water notice has been lifted for people living in Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, and County Service Area #12, according to the County of San Luis Obispo.
Officials say the State Division of Drinking Water authorized the cancellation around noon on Saturday after extensive testing confirmed that the drinking water supply was safe.
The county's Public Works Department reports that residents can return to using their tap water for ordinary purposes without taking any further action.
Restaurants can also return to normal operations if they follow Environmental Health Department guidance, according to officials.
The announcement comes after the order was lifted for residents of Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, and customers of the San Miguelito Mutual Water Company on Friday afternoon.
According to officials, the county is continuing to work with its partner agencies to investigate the cause of the singular test result that triggered Wednesday’s order.
The current investigation is expected to take 30 days to complete.
While the analysis is underway, county representatives say drinking water remains safe for consumption and is under regular water quality sampling.
San Luis Obispo County Director of Public Works John Diodati wrote about the affects of the boil water notice in a press release published on Saturday.
“I recognize the last few days have been extremely impactful for our Five Cities communities," Diodati said. "Normal testing protocol caught a problem, and through strong collaboration and coordination with the state, cities, and community service districts, we were able to quickly implement preventative safety measures.”
Diodati also emphasized that the drinking water is safe and will be monitored and regularly tested as the county works toward identifying the source that caused the event.
“Like you, we want to know why this happened. Over the next few weeks, as the investigation unfolds, we will share information with the public on what we know and what measures we will take to prevent this from happening again," Diodati said.
In the official statement, County Board of Supervisors Chair and District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg added that the county alert system was critical in keeping the public safe.
"This health and safety incident underscores the importance of people getting proper information, and we urge signing up for notifications at Public Alerting - San Luis Obispo County,” Ortiz-Legg said.
The boil water notice was issued on Wednesday after testing on water samples repeatedly found the presence of coliform bacteria in the Lopez Water Distribution System, the county reported.
According to the Public Works Department, one sample showed the presence of E. coli.
County officials explained on Friday that the communities of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach reportedly tested negative during the boil water notice; however, they remained connected to the Lopez Water Distribution System, requiring the notice to stay in place in those areas until Saturday.
