Patrick lifts boil order on tap water

Massachusetts residents can safely drink from the tap again, Gov. Deval Patrick announced Tuesday morning, ending the reliance on bottled or boiled water for about 2 million Bay Staters.

“We are confident that water quality has been restored,” Patrick said in a press conference. “What we initially feared could be a crisis that could stretch on for weeks was in the end resolved in less than 72 hours.”

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority advised residents to “flush” their water lines. On its website, the MWRA recommended running cold water taps for at least one minute before drinking or using for cooking.

Students longing for a cup of joe to get them through finals week were especially jubilant about the end of the “aquapocalypse,” as it became known on Twitter.

Thank God the coffee crisis is over,” said School of Education sophomore Amanda DoAmaral. “Studying for finals decaffeinated was worse than brushing my teeth with bottled water.

Others said they were relieved they would not have to bathe in untreated water.

I’m happy I can shower now without fear of growing an extra arm or something,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Katie Bohny, who said she was also excited about being able to get her caffeine fix once again. “Now I can do my exam ritual of grabbing a coffee right before my test!

Doing dishes is easier now, added Amanda Hunt, a CAS sophomore.

The switch back to the tap in on-campus eateries wasn’t immediate, however. At 11 a.m., Einstein Bros. was still not serving coffee, hot chocolate or soda from the fountain. Boston University spokesman Colin Riley said plumbers were making the rounds on dining halls and food retailers to work on restoring water. He said that the water situation should be business-as-usual by Tuesday night.

Staff writer Saba Hamedy contributed reporting to this article.