In the wake of a recent warning about bacteria in city drinking water, Waltham City Engineer Stephen Casazza is reassuring the public that the public drinking water in the city is safe to drink.

"As the Department Head responsible for your Drinking Water in the City, I want to assure you that the water is safe to drink," he wrote in an Oct. 5 email to city officials and reporters.

Casazza also said the water was never "unfit" for consumption.

The engineer also explained what caused the city to send the recent notice. 

"The water system was disrupted by a water main break and flow reversals in the distribution system at the Smith Street [and] Trapelo Road area causing naturally occurring bacteria to be present," he said.  "The detection of these bacteria resulted in [Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection] requiring us to send the drinking water public notice to the entire City, even though the bacteria persisted only at this one location."

Anybody with additional questions on the issue can call Casazza at 781-314-3830 or email him at scasazza@city.waltham.ma.us.