Coliban Water has told Elmore residents their tap water is safe to drink after the town's main tank ran dry and revealed the cause of the days-long issue.
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Residents were warned off drinking the water after an issue on Christmas Day after the water network lost pressure.
The incident ramped up the risk of dirt and other contaminants getting into the system, forcing Coliban to run multiple tests.
Coliban has now flushed the network with chlorinated water and got the all-clear from the Department of Health.
"The Elmore Water Treatment Plant has restored normal operations," Coliban said in a statement.
"At the lifting of this advisory we will no longer add chlorine to the network."
Coliban is recommending people flush their taps for two minutes to draw fresh water into their internal plumbing.
Alarm system issue to blame
Coliban says the issue that shut the network down was caused by a fault with an alarm system, which triggered a shutdown at the treatment plant.
The problem was compounded by the heavy rain and severe thunderstorms buffeting the region on Christmas Day, the group said.
Coliban shipped drinking water in to town as it tested for bacteria and the turbidity of the water.
It also door-knocked, sent out SMS notifications, updated its website and social media in an effort to keep people informed.
This story was updated at 6.40 with additional information about the cause of the incident, and ways Coliban Water handled it.
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
