Twenty-five northeast Indiana schools violated the Safe Drinking Water Act over a 15-year period, according to data provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Most of the schools were found to have coliform in their water – bacteria within the E. coli family. The water at some schools tested positive for inappropriate levels of lead and copper, arsenic or nitrate.

Nine of the schools had more than one violation between 1998 and 2008.

But many of the violations listed on the report were because schools didn’t sample water on time or missed a deadline for filing paperwork with the state, said Amber Finkelstein, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The others were of more legitimate concern, she said.

“Most problems we see are related to system maintenance,” Finkelstein said. “Sometimes, it’s the well field; sometimes, it’s a pipe issue – small things like that. And if the plumbing and the fixtures are extremely old, there could be lead issues.”

School officials contacted by The Journal Gazette were confident their water was safe for people to drink and wash their hands. Some hadn’t worked for the district when past violations occurred, so they couldn’t provide background information on the situation or what was done to remedy it.

Most of the schools on the list have their own water supply or use well water as opposed to being on a city water system.

“The public waters systems of this nature … are groundwater systems, which generally is acceptable for drinking water purposes in the state of Indiana,” Finkelstein said.

IDEM also released information on schools that have continued problems with contaminants in their water. The water at Wyneken Memorial Lutheran School in Adams County tested positive for coliform in August, and although the water looks “OK right now,” school officials are looking to install a new well, according to the data.

Wolf Lake Elementary School in Central Noble Community Schools had water that tested positive for lead this summer, and the school has been ordered to take additional samples, notify the public, and find a way to stop lead or copper from leaching from pipes, according to IDEM data. The school was also on the EPA’s list for testing positive for coliform in 2006.

Routine sampling

It’s up to the schools to test their water and send the samples to a lab, which are then sent to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. That information is then uploaded to a federal database managed by the EPA, Finkelstein said.

Each district is required to have someone on staff who is certified to test the water. Routine sampling is done to detect a variety of contaminants, including coliform, nitrates, arsenic, lead and copper.

If a contaminant is detected, it indicates a potential problem, and officials look further to determine the source. For example, if coliform is found in a water source, a boil-water advisory would be triggered and additional sampling would be taken to determine the specific type of coliform.

When coliform is found, it usually has to do with the system itself rather than the water, Finkelstein said. Sometimes it’s a leak that allows surface water to get in or it’s an isolated problem with one faucet. After it’s addressed, the water is fine.

Until it’s fixed, a do-not-use order is issued to prevent children from drinking and washing their hands in water with unhealthy bacteria.

A positive result for coliform is a concern because it can cause flu-like symptoms, Finkelstein said. To end a do-not-use order, a district must take two sets of bacteria samples about 24 hours apart and both must come back without coliform, she said.

Ingesting E. coli can cause severe bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, kidney failure and death, according to the EPA.

Arsenic levels

Northern Heights Elementary School in Columbia City had the most violations of any school in northeast Indiana, according to EPA data. On seven occasions, a contaminant was found in the water.

Arsenic was found in the water three times in 2006 and three times in 2007. Coliform was detected in 2003.

Laura Huffman, superintendent of Whitley County Consolidated Schools, said the arsenic was flagged after the state lowered its threshold for how much of the chemical was acceptable in water. If someone drank a liter of water laced with high amounts of arsenic every day for 40 years, that person would have a higher risk of becoming sick, Finkelstein said.

“(It) sounds scary, but arsenic is naturally occurring in the ground of Indiana, so it is sometimes found in water sources and it’s regulated,” Finkelstein said.

Huffman said the issues are “definitely resolved.”

Arcola Elementary School also had a violation listed because of the change in safe arsenic levels, Northwest Allen County Schools Business Manager Bill Mallers said. After the regulation was changed, Arcola’s water tested just above the legal limit in 2006 and 2007, Mallers said.

The school had to post a notice about the water contaminant, and a new filter system was installed. The school’s water has fallen within the guidelines ever since, Mallers said.

“We are in compliance with IDEM, and if any of it tested wrong, we would not allow it to be used out there,” Mallers said.

In East Allen County Schools, coliform was found in the water at Leo Junior-Senior High School in 2001 and Hoagland Elementary School in 1999. Superintendent Karyle Green couldn’t comment on the situation because she wasn’t there at the time but said the water is currently safe at both schools and is tested frequently.

Howe Military School in LaGrange County had the second highest number of violations in northeast Indiana. Coliform was detected five times between 2001 and 2005 and nitrate was found in 2006.

“All those problems have been resolved,” said Kenneth Rowe, director of maintenance for the past two years. “Since I’ve been here, there has not been any nitrate or coliform in the wells. All the water was deemed safe for personal use.”

ksoderlund@jg.net