FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2002

Board ensures safe drinking water for students
Over the summer, the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has installed new water treatment equipment at schools with wells to maintain the quality of drinking water for students and staff.

The Ministry of Environment has put into place a new regulation for the treatment of drinking water in schools and other small public facilities which the Board is in the process of complying with. While Board well water systems have provided a safe and secure supply of drinking water over the years, some of the parameters of this new regulation require that upgrades to our schools' drinking water systems be undertaken. The necessary upgrades include installation of additional ultra-violet disinfection systems, new testing equipment, and additional sampling ports. Extensive training of building operators in water treatment systems was also performed.

The new regulation has also presented some challenges in providing acceptable water treatment systems at schools with water sources from lakes and rivers, and will require alternate systems to supply water to those school sites. As a result, the following actions have been taken and, for the immediate future, water will be transported to the five schools noted below to ensure that the quality of drinking water is not in question:

• Water storage tanks have been installed at Sophiasburgh Public School, and South Marysburgh Public School.

• An existing storage tank will be used to store transported water at Massassaga-Rednersville Public School.

• Bottled water will be provided at Kente Public School until an anticipated municipal water source can be installed at the school.

• Bottled water will be provided at Athol Public School until a new well can be completed.

Water testing at all schools with wells will continue on a weekly basis for bacterialogical parameters over the school year. This, coupled with updated water treatment equipment, will ensure a continued safe and secure drinking water source for everyone using Board facilities.

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 54 schools, over 19,000 students, and covers an extensive area from Bancroft in the north through to Picton in the south.

For information contact:
Don Tregenza, P.Eng., Controller of Plant, 966-9491 x2250
Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, 966-9491 x2354