Boston Area residents, including residents of Saugus, Massachusetts can now breath a collective sigh of relief after Governor Deval Patrick announced that the boil-water order has been lifted during a press conference today.

“If there were a sink in here, I would take a glass from the tap and drink it myself. I’m very confident,” Patrick said.

This announcement comes after workers repaired the water main rupture in Weston, a crucial link in the MWRA system, that had caused the crisis. To avoid similar problems in the future, the Water Infrastructure Finance Commission was created in hopes to find solutions to fix old pipes, water filtration plants, and monitoring equipment.

This incident serves as a reminder to over 2 million people how dependent we are on our infrastructure and how much we take it for granted. “People turn on the tap, and they don’t think about where their water comes from and the cost that goes into maintaining clean water. If anything comes out of what happened this weekend, I hope that people are thinking about that more,” said the commission’s chairman, Senator James B. Eldridge.

Below, is instructions from the office of the Governor on how you can clear contaminated water from your water supply:

From the Office of the Governor

Residents are advised to “flush” their water following the lifting of the boil order in order to clear plumbing of potentially contaminated water. Flushing your household and building water lines includes interior and exterior faucets; showers; water and ice dispensers; water treatment units, etc.

• Cold Water Faucets: Run tap water until the water feels cold, 1 minute or more, before drinking, tooth brushing, or using for food preparation.
• Hot Water Faucets: To clear hot water pipes and water heater of untreated water, turn on all hot water faucets and flush for a minimum of 15 minutes for a typical household 40-gallon hot water tank and 30 minutes for an 80-gallon hot water tank or larger. Never use water from the “hot” faucet for drinking, cooking, or other internal-consumption purposes. After this flushing, hot water is then safe to use for washing hands, and for hand-washing of dishes, pots and pans, etc.
• Refrigerators: Water dispensers from refrigerators should be flushed by at least one quart of water.
• Dishwashers: After flushing hot water pipes and water heater, run dishwasher empty one time.
• Humidifiers: Discard any water used in humidifiers, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), oral, medical or health care devices, and rinse the device with clean water.
• Food and baby formula: Be sure you have discarded any baby formula or other foods prepared with water on the days of the boil order. (If unsure of the dates contact your water Department.)
• Ice cubes: Automatic ice dispensers should be emptied of ice made during the boil order. Then, discard ice made over an additional 24 hour period to assure complete purging of the water supply line.

Due to the flushing of the lines by residents and the flushing of the hydrants, some customers may experience a lack of water pressure and/or discolored water. However, this is an expected result and does not pose a health risk. Contact your local Water Department if you have any questions.

Additional information for food establishments can be found at www.mwra.com.