Mississippi River Sheens Pose No Threat to City Drinking Water: MDH

MINNEAPOLIS — The two-mile-long sheen spotted on the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities metro Tuesday poses no threat to city drinking water, according to samples tested by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul city officials confirmed their water remains safe to drink.

"Thus far all of the samples tested by MDH’s Public Health Lab have come back negative for substances which would pose a threat to the safety of municipal drinking water systems," the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency told Patch.

State agencies will continue to test samples to identify a potential source.

Crews deployed booms this week to divert the sheen away from city water intakes in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The cities also temporarily closed their water treatment facilities intakes as a precaution, MPR News reported.

The Fridley Fire Department first reported a sheen on the river at about 1 p.m. Tuesday. The sheen was under the Highway 610 Bridge in Coon Rapids and traveled downstream, officials said.

At about 8:10 a.m. Wednesday morning, a smaller sheen was reported near the west shore of the river near West Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, according to authorities.

Agencies are investigating that sheen and if it is connected to the initial incident.