In recent weeks people complained to Coliban Water about the colour, taste and odour of local drinking water.

That led Coliban to change water sources, adjust treatment processes and flush out the mains.

On Tuesday business operators on Heathcote’s High Street said tap water was clearer and lacked a strong taste of chlorine.

Oval Takeaway manager Peter Chamouras said he had been using buckets to bring in rainwater from his home tanks.

“It’s been about 40 litres a day for the batter and the pizza dough,” he said, adding that tap water had been thoroughly boiled before use in equipment like the bain-marie.

Rutherford&Maine’s Peter Maine said his only concern had been the water’s effect on his shop’s coffee.

“But we always run our coffee through filters to get rid of chlorine and any particulate matter. So it’s no biggy for us,” he said.

Coliban’s general manager water quality performance and regulation David Sheehan said the organisation was still monitoring water.

“The water did not pose a risk to public health, however we understand that the changes may have caused concern,” he said.

“The drinking water (over the past few weeks) was not of the standard that we aim to supply to our customers.

“Thank-you to the customers who contacted us by phone, or who dropped in to talk to us at the two community sessions we ran in Heathcote. We value the feedback.”

Mr Sheehan said investigations into a long-term solution to variable water quality was underway.