(CNN) Neon pink water began flowing out of the taps in a small Canadian town earlier this week, startling residents.

The odd hue that surfaced in Onoway, Alberta, was likely caused by an automation or valve problem at the local water treatment plant, the mayor's office said.

Because of that issue, potassium permanganate, a chemical used in water treatment, got into the public distribution lines, Onoway's Mayor Dale Krasnow said in a pair of statements.

He added that "there was never a public health risk" and that the town had been working with the province's environment officials.

Krasnow apologized and said in a statement his office could've done better in notifying its 1,036 residents when the pink water first appeared.

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