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Sep 4, 2008 10:48 am US/Eastern

Water Warning Lifted For Town Of Hamilton

HAMILTON (WBZ) ― Environmental health officials have lifted the water advisory in the town of Hamilton after samples taken over the past few days showed no detectable levels of perchlorate.

Low levels of perchlorate are often found in drinking water and ground water, and perchlorate has been used to treat thyroid gland disorders.

Perchlorate interferes with the normal function of the thyroid gland and thus has the potential to affect growth and development and could cause brain damage and other adverse effects, particularly in fetuses and infants.

According to the Hamilton Water Department, perchlorate is an inorganic chemical widely used as an oxidizer in fireworks, blasting agents and in other industrial products. It can also occur due to aging of hypochlorite used to disinfect water supplies.