Alameda Point water deemed OK for bathing, but not consuming

Grasslands cover an edge of Alameda Point, former site of the Naval Air Station Alameda, on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Alameda, Calif. Grasslands cover an edge of Alameda Point, former site of the Naval Air Station Alameda, on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Alameda, Calif. Photo: Noah Berger / Special To The Chronicle Photo: Noah Berger / Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Alameda Point water deemed OK for bathing, but not consuming 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Residents of Alameda Point can safely bathe in their tap water again, but should continue to refrain from drinking it, cooking with it or using it to brush their teeth, state and local officials said. .

Officials said the system had been flushed with East Bay Municipal Utilities District water and that it was deemed safe for contact.

They cautioned residents to run their water for 10 minutes before using it to bathe or shower.

The City of Alameda issued a 48-hour water quality alert on Tuesday in the area that encompasses the former Alameda Naval Air Station after testing by the East Bay Municipal Utility District confirmed that the tap water was not fit to drink or for human contact. They lifted the restrictions on making contact with the water Wednesday night. About 268 residents and more than 60 businesses are affected by the warning.

The restrictions apply only to Alameda Point, where the water supply system relies on old Navy infrastructure and pipelines, according to an Alameda Police Department advisory. The cause was reportedly a connection between a drinking water line and a non-potable irrigation line.

Free bottled water for those affected is available at the Alameda Point Collaborative, 677 W. Ranger Avenue. The city has made 10 showers available in the parking lot of the Alameda Fire Department Training Facility, 431 Stardust Place.

While the water is considered unfit for human use, no health problems connected with its use have been reported, according to the advisory.

Updated information is available by calling a water alert hotline at (510) 747-7460.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan