The water is still not safe to drink in parts of Nassau County Wednesday.

Traces of the cancer-causing fuel additive MTBE are still showing up in the tap water of the West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District. The state says more than 10 parts per billion of MTBE is not safe. The amount of MTBE showing up in West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens wells is between 13 and 156 parts per billion during testing Tuesday night.

More than 32,000 residents in West Hempstead and parts of Franklin Square, Garden City South and Cathedral Gardens are still urged to not drink, cook or brush their teeth with tap water. Water officials will continue to flush the system and test the water to see if the levels are less later in the day Wednesday. However, the district needs to have two consecutive tests that show no traces of MTBE before the water can be deemed safe to use.

Related Information:West Hempstead-Hempstead Gardens Water District MTBE in Drinking Water EPA - Concerns about MTBEEPA - MTBE MTBE and Underground Storage Tanks Thousands in Nassau told not to drink or shower in tap water