this partially explains the delay...

From here:

02/21/2006 8:15 a.m.
Important Drinking Water Warning Update

Safe Operation Guide

Additional bacteria testing conducted at Water Treatment System indicate no E-coli bacteria at the Water Treatment Facility.

The E-coli test incubation period is 24 hours. Samples from the weekend, which were read back on Monday, were positive for E-coli at the St. Cloud Water Treatment Facility (WTF). Preliminary results Tuesday morning indicate no E-Coli at the Water Treatment Facility.

Additional test results will be available throughout the day. As a precaution, the BOIL WATER NOTICE is still in effect until the additional testing results are available.

Updated Information will be Posted on Channel 19 (emphases added)

Okay, so the samples become "readable" after only after a 24-hour incubation period; but according to this:

Robinson said the Water Treatment Facility tests its water daily for bacteria. After receiving positive results on Saturday and Sunday, the city put out an alert as outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency, he said.

The tests requires the water to go through a 24-hour incubation period. That's why Sunday's results didn't come out until Monday.

The 24 hour incubation period explains the delay in Sunday's results, but if Saturday's sample also tested positive, why the delay until Monday? As I have suggested before, public health hazards (like weather hazards) have a funny way of happening at times outside the 40-hour work week. Hopefully some mechanism will be put into place that, when applicable, will allow for a warning before the start of the next business day.

(Filed under miscellany)