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Battle Creek collecting 50 water samples for testing

City officials are working with the lab in Holland to expedite the testing, then the state DEQ will determine when it is appropriate to lift the water advisory.

UPDATE, 6/16/2018: City officials update the water advisory in Battle Creek, stating anyone with significant liver disease should avoid drinking tap water. The update comes after a recommendation from the Michigan Poison Control and Calhoun County medical experts. Those affected by this updated advisory also may receive one case per day from the distribution locations.

Pregnant women who have received advice from their personal doctors to drink bottled water may receive one case per day from our distribution locations. Over the weekend, that's the Police Department and Fire Stations 1-6, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Officials are still waiting on test results from sample collections on Friday.

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BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - The city of Battle Creek is collecting 50 water samples from the drinking water system to test it for manganese. The water will then be hand delivered to an environmental testing lab in Holland.

City officials warned residents on Thursday, June 14 that infants should not drink tap water because of elevated levels of manganese.

The working theory is that the city's annual pipe flushing led to the elevated levels of manganese, according to Calhoun County's Public Health Department.

►Related: Here's why infants should not drink Battle Creek water, city says

The Michigan Department of Environmental supplied a list of addresses across the city's water system, and water will be taken from the faucet. Samples will be collected from the cities of Battle Creek and Springfield and Bedford, Emmett, Leroy, and Pennfield townships.

City officials are working with the lab in Holland to expedite the testing, then the state DEQ will determine when it is appropriate to lift the water advisory.

The health advisory level for adults and children older than 12 months is 1.0 parts per million for short-term exposure.

Manganese testing sites in the city of Battle Creek. 

Where you can find bottled water:

Battle Creek City Hall, 10 N. Division St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Battle Creek Department of Public Works, 150 S. Kendall St., from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday

Battle Creek Police Department, 20 N. Division St., from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. seven days per week

Springfield City Hall, 601 Avenue A, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today

Emmett Township Department of Public Safety, 621 Cliff St., from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today

Bottled water will also be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week at city fire stations:

Fire Station 1, 195 E. Michigan Ave.

Fire Station 2, 145 N. Washington Ave.

Fire Station 3, 222 Cliff St.

Fire Station 4, 8 S. 20th St.

Fire Station 5, 1170 W. Michigan Ave.

Fire Station 6, 2401 Capital Ave. SW

The city has set up a hotline, (269) 969-6852, which will provide information and connect callers with Department of Public Works staff from 7:30 a.m.to 4 p.m. to Monday through Friday. Residents call also call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and the public works hotline at 269-966-3311.

The Battle Creek Enquirer contributed to this reporting.

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