Salem reissues do-not-drink alert after toxins found again in drinking water

After just four days, Salem city officials on Wednesday reissued a do-not-drink water advisory for children younger than 6 and some adults with compromised immune systems.

Test results received Wednesday morning once again showed cyanotoxins in the city's drinking water system, with levels higher than those set out under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for those at-risk populations, according to the advisory.

"For the vast majority of Salem residents, the water is safe to drink and no action is needed," city officials stressed in the advisory. The advisory also affects the city of Turner.

Here is a list from the city of Salem of who should avoid the tap water:

Children under the age of six

People with compromised immune systems or pre-existing liver conditions

People receiving dialysis treatment, or other sensitive populations

The elderly

Pregnant women or nursing mothers

Pets

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:13 questions answered on Salem's water warning

Cyanotoxins are a poison produced by a bacteria called cyanobacteria. With exposure to the toxins, mammals can suffer respiratory issues and allergic reactions. The toxins can also lead to kidney and liver damage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

By Wednesday afternoon, at least four water distribution sites had been re-established for the public.

City spokesman Kenny Larson the latest test results were from samples taken on June 2, June 3 and June 4.

The results showed toxin levels above safe thresholds for vulnerable populations at just one location — northeast Salem. Tests showed the toxin microcystin at 0.351 parts per billion last Sunday (June 3) and .3201 PPB on Monday (June 4).

The safe threshold for vulnerable populations of microcystin is 0.3, and 1.6 PPB for healthy adults.

Other locations around Salem also showed traces of microcystin and cylindrospermopsin in the drinking water, but at levels within the safe threshold.

More: UPDATED: Here are the full test results of Salem's drinking water

There need to be two clear days worth of results for the advisory to be lifted. Larson said results from Tuesday's sample could come as early as Thursday, and results from Wednesday's sample could come Friday.

The reason behind the delay is that Salem sends its samples to an out-of-state lab. The recent water crisis has prompted Salem officials to consider bringing a lab to Oregon.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN: Oregon’s dry spring may have fueled toxic algae spread

In response to Salem's drinking water crisis, the Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday announced it would prepare state rules that require testing for cyanotoxins throughout the state for certain bodies of water at-risk for toxic algae blooms.

State health officials expect temporary rules to be set up by the end of June to get Oregon through this algae-bloom season. Permanent rules would be finalized later.

OHA spokesman Jonathan Modie said Wednesday, "What Salem's renewed advisory shows is that regular, thorough testing for cyanotoxins, as has been done by Salem, is extremely valuable in ensuring those toxins don’t get missed when the water system draws from surface water sources that are susceptible to algae blooms."

Toxic algae blooms are becoming more common in the U.S., according to the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. In Oregon, Detroit Lake has seen an uptick in the blooms in recent years, but 2018 marked the first year where dangerous levels of cyanotoxins made their way into Salem's tap water.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools on Wednesday was providing water to vulnerable students and adults. On Thursday, district officials will begin preparing all meals with bottled water or without water completely, district spokeswoman Lillian Govus said.

SALEM WATER CRISIS: What if you drink the tap water during the advisory?

Salem Health officials got a call from the city at 9:52 a.m. notifying them the water advisory might be reissued, Salem Health spokesman Aaron Reber said in an email. An overhead page at 10:15 a.m. at Salem Hospital stated: "CODE TRIAGE. Water advisory reactivation by the city of Salem."

Reber said, "This overhead page gathers the team and gets us planning so that when/if the city announced reactivation, we would already be working on our preparations."

Last time a drinking water advisory was in place, city councilors had expressed frustration with not being informed much sooner. They found out shortly before a May 29 council meeting after city staff had known there was a possible problem with the water since May 25.

This time around, city councilors were looped in much sooner. City Councilor Sally Cook said she received notification Wednesday morning from Deputy City Manager Kacey Duncan. "It's being handled much better," Cook said.

—Statesman Journal reporter Natalie Pate contributed to this article.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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