By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Kenwood Elementary School will be closed again Thursday since complete test results are not back on water at the school.
Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci closed the school on Wednesday due to discolored water at a drinking fountain in the school.
Initially it was believed the greenish colored water was due to a back flow valve failure. However, Scruci said this evening that the water problem appears to more likely be the result of the older pipes in the building going unused over spring break.
The pipes went unused for 10 days during break. After being run, the water was clear this morning, Scruci said.
Tests conducted this morning showed the water being fine but the full scale contaminant test results will not be available until after noon on Thursday. Therefore, Kenwood Elementary will be closed again Thursday. All other schools in the district will be open.
“Our first responsibility is to keep our students safe,” Scruci wrote in an email to parents. “I am not willing to take any unnecessary risks and want to err on the side of caution.”
Water samples were taken to a testing site in Toledo from Kenwood school and other schools in the district for baseline data. Initially the testing facility said the results would be complete in eight to 10 days, but Scruci said it was made clear that was unacceptable.
“We cannot wait eight to 10 days,” he said.
The district has one more calamity day left due to few snow days this past winter, but Scruci would really like the students back at their desks.
“We certainly want to get them back, they start testing next week,” he said.
The district received no reports of children sickened from the water earlier this week.
“I think that it’s fine, but until I’m 100 percent certain that’s the case, and there’s nothing in there that will harm the kids,” school will remain closed, Scruci said.
