$19M Kentville school has bad drinking water

A new $19-million school in Kentville, N.S., has lead contamination in its drinking water.

Kings County Academy is a 600-student P-8 school that opened this month. Tests on the drinking water were carried out in August as part of the final preparations to welcome students.

Elevated levels of lead were found atsix of the32 tap sites.

The Nova Scotia Department of Education told CBC News lead levels ranged from 10.7 to 26 micrograms per litre.The nationaldrinking water standard is under 10 micrograms.

Students and staff will drink bottled water until the problem is fixed.

"It wasn't acceptable levels for kids to be drinking that water, so bottled water is being used," saidEducation Department spokesman Peter McLaughlin.

"We don't know the root cause of the lead contamination at this point. But it's highly likely it's restricted to the school site because the Environment Department tells us that their most recent readings from the town water supply show that it is well below the lead levels."

Town's water supply is clean

About 3,000 customers use Kentville's municipal water system.

"We're satisfied it's site specific," said Mark Phillips, the town's chief administrative officer. He has a child at KCA.

"It's concerning, but at the same time we realize it's most likely growing pains associated with the new building," he added.

Shawn Thorsen'sdaughter is in Grade 3 at the school. "That school has been ready to go for months now. You would think with a $19-million dollar school, you would have had these issues sorted out, tests done," he said.

The school must flush all 32 taps three consecutive times and come back with acceptable readings for the water to be declared safe.

"Test are ongoing. We should have a determination of a cause very soon," said McLaughlin.

KCA encountered problems earlier this year, when it emerged thatthe school was built next to a Superior Propane depot.

Authorities refused to open the school until a large propane tank was removed, delaying the opening for several months.