For immediate release: October 12, 2007 (07-181)

Contacts:
Erling Birkland, Yelm School District 360-458-6128
Allison Cook, Communications Office 360-236-4022

OLYMPIA ¾ The bottled water advisory has ended at Lackamas Elementary School in rural Thurston County. Water quality concerns have been corrected and the water is safe to drink.

The school provided bottled water for staff and students after bacteria were found in a routine water sample. While the bacteria that were found are harmless, they can indicate problems with a water system.

The school district disinfected the school’s water storage tanks and plumbing. The problem appears to have been caused by water sitting in storage tanks over the summer when water use is low. The school district is working to prevent the situation from happening again next summer.

The advisory affected only Lackamas Elementary School, which is served by a private well. It did not affect others schools in the Yelm School District or nearby homes.

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