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Louisa town and county officials on Tuesday attributed the contamination that triggered evacuations and a flush of the county’s water supply to methane gas released from the sewer system.

The water has been tested several times at various locations in the days since the incident, and it has been deemed safe by the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a statement from the town.

Gas was detected on Nov. 29, prompting some emergency evacuations and the county’s water authority to issue a “do not use” order. The contamination level did not reach explosive risks, but could have been a health hazard, the town said.

The evacuation and the “do not use” order were lifted the following day after two rounds of laboratory testing indicated the water was safe.

When those tests revealed no contaminants, town and county officials “began rethinking theories about the water system as a source, but we didn’t want to rule anything which might jeopardize the public’s health, safety, and welfare out too early,” Pam Baughman, general manager of the Louisa County Water Authority, said in the statement.