Students get bottled water after school water shows bacteria

AMES, Iowa (AP) - Students at an Ames elementary school have been given bottled water since the school’s water showed bacterial contamination.

Des Moines television station KCCI reports (https://bit.ly/24xmRn1 ) that water fountains at Meeker Elementary have been taped off and warning signs have been placed on them. The precautions have been in place since February, after a routine water test showed total coliform.

Experts say total coliform bacteria are routinely found in soil or vegetation and are usually harmless. If only total coliform are found, the source likely is environmental and likely not a result of fecal contamination.

District facilities director Gerry Peters says some sort of organic compound in the pipes is feeding the bacteria. The district has been chlorinating the water lines in an effort to clear up the problem.

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Information from: KCCI-TV, https://www.kcci.com