FLINT, MI -- The good news is testing shows bottled water distributed in Flint just before Christmas doesn’t appear to have been contaminated.

But the bad news is the task ahead: Figuring out the most efficient way to empty and dispose of about 76,000 plastic bottles that remain and that won’t be distributed out of an abundance of caution and to protect public health.

“To my knowledge, this is still being discussed,” Jennifer Holton, director of communications for the the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal.

Holton said Friday, March 6, that all parties involved in the distribution and testing of the water shipment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency agree that it should not be consumed because “best by” dates have been passed or have nearly passed and because of previous complaints about the smell and taste of some of the water when it was handed out in December.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration said this week that the water it tested from the shipment was negative for bacteria, particulates or chemicals, and earlier testing by the Genesee County Health Department also showed safe pH levels and no coliform or E. coli bacteria.

Before the FDA testing, MDARD secured the remaining FEMA water at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, the site of the distribution.

“The Agriculture Department did tag the shed to make sure it wasn’t going out,” said the Rev. Daniel Moore. “The last word I got was they were just” looking for a way to dispose of it.

Moore said there are 38 pallets of water in storage and 84 cases, each with 24 bottles, on each pallet.

“It’s a lot of water," the pastor said.

Moore said he agrees with disposing of the water even though testing showed it wasn’t contaminated because there are still serious questions about its quality.

FEMA has yet to release findings of its investigation into the origin of the water, including how it was manufactured, stored and shipped.

FDA finds no contamination in bottled water from December Flint giveaway

Flint church warns of possible issues with bottled water from FEMA