PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Water Bureau ended its boil water order Sunday and gave westside Portland residents the green light to drink tap water.

The water bureau had issued a boil water notice Saturday afternoon after E.coli bacteria were found in a Washington Park reservoir.

City officials recommend all businesses and residents flush all taps for two minutes or until the water runs cold before they consume it for the first time.

About 50,000 people who live in Portland were affected by the boil water order. They were warned that tap water used for drinking, food preparation and ice should be brought to full boil.

The warning from the city led many shoppers to rush to their grocery stores to load up on bottled water. Some stores were reported to be out of water Saturday night.

City officials said they consulted closely with the State of Oregon's Department of Human Services during the boil water warning.

It will take up to four days for the reservoir in question to be drained. It has been taken offline and will be tested, investigated and cleaned before it is put back online.

Although the specific strain of E. coli is currently unknown, the most hazardous strains that are associated with serious illness are not typically found in water supplies. Officials are currently testing the original samples to determine if the strain found is harmful to humans. Results of those tests are not expected until next week, officials said.

Dr. Paul Lewis, deputy health officer for Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, said the health effects from drinking water contamination would likely be diarrhea and belly ache.

Related Information:

• PDF: Map Of Affected Area
• Boil Water Notice Online Information