Waiouru residents can now use tap water as normal, with a "do not drink" notice for the town lifted this afternoon.
The NZ Defence Force confirmed the notice had been lifted at 3.30pm on Friday.
"Following receipt of compliant sample results, Waiouru Military Camp and surrounding residents are advised that the Do Not Drink water notice has now been lifted, and the water can be used as normal."
On Thursday evening, the NZDF advised residents not to use tap water for drinking – including making sachet juice/drinks; making ice; food preparation; brushing teeth; or preparing infant/toddler formula.
An NZDF notice delivered to locals said a "non-conforming result" had come from a sample collected from the local treatment plant on June 10.
"In a routine water sample, an aluminium concentration of 4.058 mg/L was detected. The maximum allowable value is 1.0mg/L."
This stemmed from a power outage at the plant on 9/10 June, it said. The plant produced the non-compliant water overnight and was shut down when the problem was identified.
"The aluminium is likely to have originated from a treatment additive called poly aluminium chloride, which helps to bind small particles in the water so that they can be removed in the sand filters," the NZDF said in an update on Friday morning.
"The water treatment plant has now been fully flushed to get rid of any contaminated water, and was run overnight to produce water to fill the reservoir."
Water tankers had been made available to residents at both Z Waiouru and Waiouru School on Friday. Bottled water was also provided at "prominent locations" around the town.
It was noted the health risk was low for those who may have chosen to drink the water over the short term.
However, those with severely compromised immune systems, as well as infants, pregnant women and some elderly could be at increased risk and were advised to get advice from their healthcare providers.
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