Elevated iron levels put Northern Middle School on bottled water.
In early February, school officials reported a cloudy appearance in the Hagerstown school’s drinking water, prompting testing of the publicly fed system, Washington County Public Schools spokesman Richard Wright said.
An elevated level of iron was found to be the likely culprit, according to Wright.
Wright said that all school water systems were tested this past summer for lead and other materials.
Depending on the condition of the school, some are tested more frequently, he said.
He assured the school community that the facility’s water remains safe to drink, but administrators wanted to go the extra step to ensure quality drinking water before repairs can be made this summer.
“We are replacing the main water lines from the street to the school this summer,” Wright said, noting that water mains or other pipes could be contributing to the problem.
The exact scope and cost of the project is not yet known.
Sixth- through eighth-grade enrollment at the school in the city’s North End is about 700 students, plus another 139 staff members, according to the school system website.
A letter was sent out to parents and guardians in February shortly after the water test, sharing information about the findings and the plan to provide bottled water.