Document text
Shady Cove School water too dirty By VICKI GUARINO SHADY COVE -- Students are sipping bottled water this week, and cafeteria cooks are keeping their hands off the tap because of contaminated water. Routine testing on the last day of school before Christmas break showed unacceptable levels of coliform bacteria in part of the Shady Cove School's water system. No coliform is acceptable under state law for water systems serving the public, according to Eagle Point School District Maintenance Supervisor Rick Martin. So while Martin works to sanitize the water system, fountains and faucets remain off. "It hasn't been a big problem," Principal Dan Johnson said Tuesday. "It has been an inconvenience." Johnson said there have been no reports of sickness related to problem drinking water, and no previous contamination problems in at least the past six years -- the time Johnson has been principal. Shady Cove School, like the rest of the small city along the Rogue River, relies on private wells for water. Two wells on school grounds serve Shady Cove's 250 students. Martin said the wells are tested every month under state requirements. The school district also monitors a well serving the Elk Trail Elementary school in Trail. The presence of the bacteria indicates that contamination from surface water might have gotten into the school's water system. Sometimes, however, ground water itself becomes contaminated, Martin said. At Shady Cove, the upper well tested positive for contamination Dec. 17. The well serves the cafeteria, gym and a single junior high school classroom. Downhill, the older portion of the campus that contains classrooms and offices is served by a separate well that tested clean. Johnson said there hasn't been a well problem in Shady Cove that he knows of, but contamination has been found at Elk Trail in the past. Martin said water could be restored by early next week. The water system, including a holding tank, is being flushed with chlorine. Once the chlorine has been washed through the system, water will be retested. Tests might be done at the end of this week. The presence of coliform bacteria is a concern because some strains of the bacteria cause illness. Identifying the form of coliform bacteria to determine whether or not it is a hazardous variety is complicated, Martin said, so that is not a standard practice. Instead, state health officials presume the hazard and require treatment. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA