SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Residents of Springfield and Ludlow can begin drinking their tap water again after the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission lifted their boil water order early Thursday morning.

In a news release, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission notified 22News at around 5:00 A.M. that the order had been lifted after all water samples collected on Tuesday and Wednesday tested negative for bacteria.

“We are pleased to report that it is no longer necessary to boil your water. We recognize the inconvenience this caused and thank you for your patience,” the release states.

The boil water order was issued after a major water main broke in a wooded area off St. James Avenue Tuesday afternoon, causing a loss of water pressure for customers in Springfield and Ludlow, as well as several streets in Wilbraham and a couple of very small sections of East Longmeadow and Longmeadow.

There are a few things you should do at home before you start using your water as normal, according to the Mass. Department of Environmental Protection:

• Run your taps to flush out any standing water- one minute for cold water, at least 15 minutes for hot water, and up to 30 minutes if you have larger than a 40-gal. hot water heater.
• Run your dishwasher empty once before loading dishes
• Run a quart of clean water through your refrigerator ice dispenser
• For ice machines, keep discarding ice for a 24-hour cycle starting Thursday morning to make sure your ice is clean

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno held a news conference at 9:00 Thursday morning to provide an update on the repairs of the water main break, as well as the lifting of the boil water order.