WARE — Residents can safely drink town water again.

An order issued Tuesday advising them to boil their drinking water due to contamination ended Wednesday.

A collection of five samples analyzed for the offending bacteria showed the water system to be free of fecal contamination, according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

“Ware has also increased chlorine disinfection levels within its distribution system, and may make additions to its water system which will allow it to continuously meet ... virus removal requirements,” MassDEP’s drinking water and municipal services chief, Deirdre Doherty, wrote in a letter notifying town officials of the boil water order termination.

On Tuesday, town officials announced that a previous sample tested positive for fecal contamination. Residents were advised to boil their drinking water as a result.

The boil water notice was issued after a test performed May 26 came back positive for the bacteria enterococci in one of the four sources of drinking water in the town's system.

In an announcement posted to Ware's municipal website on Tuesday, officials advised residents to boil all water for at least one minute or use bottled water. Any ice, beverages, uncooked foods and formula made from tap water collected on or before May 26 should be discarded, the notice stated.

Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com. Caitlin Ashworth contributed to this report.

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