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August 12, 2014 - 7:02 PM
LIKELY, B.C. - Health officials in B.C. have lifted most of a water ban that was put in place following a massive mine tailings spill, while also declaring fish from the area are safe to eat.
More than 300 people were ordered not to drink or bathe in water from nearby lakes and rivers after the tailings dam at the Mount Polley gold and copper mine failed last week.
Subsequent testing has found water in Quesnel Lake and Quesnel River are within guidelines for human and aquatic health.
The water ban was partially lifted last week in areas that included the nearby town of Likely, but it remained in effect for as many as 200 people over the weekend.
Dr. Trevor Corneil of the Interior Health Authority says the ban has now been almost entirely lifted, except for areas closest to the mine, which are relatively uninhabited.
Corneil also says the health authority has no evidence that any toxins would have affected fish, and he says he can confidently say fish caught outside the current water restriction areas are safe to eat.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014