Quality tests under way after water main break; Mass. residents still under boil-water order

Water quality tests pending after Mass. main break

BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick expects final results of water quality tests from this weekend’s huge water main break “very soon,” and if the tests come back clean, the boil-water order could be lifted.

The governor declined Monday to be more specific about when the ban might be lifted. Patrick’s boil-water order has been in place for three days for nearly 2 million eastern Massachusetts residents.

Tests are continuing on water samples collected from more than 400 location in the area effected by the break. Patrick said he wants to err on the side of caution before lifting the ban.

Massachusetts officials are vowing to get to the bottom of what caused the catastrophic failure of the crucial water main.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo pledged Monday to hold public hearings to find out why a coupling in the tunnel gave way. Patrick said he also wants to find out what caused the breach.