GARY, W.Va. — A water advisory issued on Friday, warning almost 500 households in rural West Virginia not to use the water for drinking or cooking has been lifted.

Gary, a former U.S. Steel and coal mining town of less than 1,000 received word Tuesday, that their water is safe for use.

“We are pleased to report that preliminary test results indicate that the problem has been corrected and therefore the advisory may now be lifted,” said the report from the state health department after water samples from the system were tested.

The advisory was issued after severe discoloration and a well’s proximity to mine waste storage drew the water’s safety into question. 

“The water turned black, like coal,” Mayor Thomas Vineyard said. “It’s never happened before. The water has always been good.”

Officials are still trying to determine the cause of the sudden discoloration, but the water is now safe, said former Mayor Shirley Duncan.