Sanostee water found to be safe

SANOSTEE, N.M. (AP) - The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority says the water is safe to drink in Sanostee.

The utility sent a notice Tuesday to the more than 500 residents on the water system, telling them chemical contamination had been flushed out.

The clearance came after nearly two weeks of warnings that a Sanostee water well was contaminated by chemical byproducts from natural gas hydrocarbons believed to have leached naturally into the water source.

Utility Authority deputy general manager Rex Kontz says the utility had shut down the well and reopened a smaller one to flush the lines with clean water after contamination was reported July 22.

Residents described the water as smelling like kerosene or diesel fuel.

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Information from: The Daily Times