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Central Alberta school closes because of E. coli bacteria in water

There will be no classes at a school in central Alberta for a few days because of bacteria in the water supply.
CondorSchoolClosesRandyJune10_20100610182125
Parents pick up their children Thursday afternoon after Condor School was abruptly closed when E. coli was found in its drinking water.

CONDOR — There will be no classes at a school in central Alberta for a few days because of bacteria in the water supply.

Brian Celli, superintendent for Wild Rose Public Schools, says the well water at Condor school has been deemed unfit for human consumption.

“We did a test last week and it came back with some coliforms,so we did a second test ... and it’s come back (with) ... some traces of E. coli that we found in the water there,” Celli said Thursday.

The school tests the water monthly.

Crews are working to fix the problem, but the building will remain closed at least a week until tests come back clean.

“We will shock the well. I will take a water sample down to Calgary Saturday morning ... so we should have some results back from that hopefully Monday afternoon.”

Students will go to class in nearby Leslieville for the time being.

There are no reports of illness.

Celli said it’s his understanding that there have been some problems with the well in the past.

“We’re looking at alternate arrangements now. There’s no sense in continuing with this situation.”