Parents Taking Precautions After E.coli Found At School Well In Yuba City
YUBA CITY (CBS13) - Administrators at a Yuba City elementary school are warning parents after the school's water was found to contain E.coli bacteria.
"I got home and told my kids, 'you're not going to school until I know more about what's going on,'" said parent Kari Bush.
District officials sent a letter home to parents yesterday saying water from the well used by Barry Elementary School is unsafe and it's been shut off.
"It's hard to tell exactly how this situation arose," said Yuba City Unified School District assistant superintendent Robert Shemwell.
While crews are busy treating the well, children are still attending classes.
"It can go anywhere from something like the stomach flu to something much more severe that could end up being fatal. And with the three kids, I just wasn't willing to take a chance," said Bush.
Bush says she decided to keep her daughter and two sons home today after getting being notified by the school.
"It was really vague, you know .There was very little information and it just said they would keep us updated as things went on," said Bush.
Shemwell tells CBS13 the school brought in portable washing stations and bottled water.
"That means eliminating access to water for washing hands, for cooking, our kitchen at that school site has been closed down. Food is being prepared at another site," said Shemwell.
But Bush says that still doesn't give her peace of mind, especially because the school did not bring in portable bathrooms.
"You flush the toilet, splash happens. Other kids don't check it before they sit down – it's just the way kids are," said Bush.
"We have been told that using the restrooms is not an issue or a problem, but we totally understand the need for some parents to want to keep their kids home," said Shemwell.
Shemwell says the school will stay open since the state didn't order it to close, but Bush isn't taking any chances.
"I would like more information about it before I just agree to send my kids back to school," she said.
Shemwell says another letter was sent home with students today. They should know more about the status of the water by early next week.
The district is looking to install a new water treatment system at the school in the future to replace the outdated well they have now.
