and disinfectant wipes after e-coli was found in the water supply, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Government health officials are attributing high levels of e-coli bacteria in St. George's Preparatory's water to bird droppings. The contaminant may also be responsible for some children coming down with diarrhoea.

The east end primary school's principal, Mrs. Mary Lodge, confirmed that a problem was discovered with water in the school tank last week.

"We noticed that after the hurricane, the water got smelly so we called the Health Department in to test it,'' she said.

Government's epidemiologist Rhonda Daniels was quick to point out that the bacteria found are not of the deadly variety.

"The e-coli found were not the pathogenic type,'' she said. "I do not want to see a scare like the one we saw with Marriott.'' "The presence of e-coli in the water simply indicates that the tank needs to be cleaned,'' she added.

Senior environmental health officer Estyln Harvey pointed out that the presence of e-coli usually suggests the presence of some form of excrement.

"E-coli usually is an indicator of faecal contamination,'' she said. "It could be bird droppings got into the water.

"We found no pathogenic bacteria in our samples.'' "One teacher reported that a few children had come down with diarrhoea -- only one or two, very few, so I would not say that the water caused their diarrhoea, but it might have.'' she added.

"The high count of coliforms could be from bird droppings or perhaps a leak in the tank.'' Mrs. Harvey praised the quick action of the school in both alerting the authorities and addressing the problem.

"They took all the precautions as soon as they were notified,'' she said.

"The tank has to be cleaned.'' A thorough cleaning of the school's two tanks and a complete flushing of the pipes began yesterday.

"The tank will have to be drained, cleaned and checked for leaks,'' Mrs.

Harvey pointed out. "If leaks are found, they will have to be fixed. Then sealer will be put in the tank and a chlorine treatment flushed through the lines.'' Because there are two tanks at St. George's Preparatory, the school is able to remain open while the repairs take place.

"One tank will be cleaned at a time,'' Mrs. Harvey noted. "This allows the other tank to be used for functions like toilet flushing.'' Meanwhile, the school has bought bottled water for the staff and students to drink and disinfectant wipes for their hands.

"They are using wipes right now and although it may be a bit expensive at the moment,'' Mrs. Harvey said, "it is necessary as young children do put their hands in their mouths.'' As St. George's Preparatory is an aided school trustees are responsible for contracting a plumber for the job.

"I just got a call this morning from the Education Department saying they are not responsible,'' said Mrs. Harvey. "The Education Ministry does have a plumber who normally does tank cleanings and they can hire him.'' Mrs. Lodge confirmed yesterday that the work will be done by the same plumber used by the Education Ministry. But she had no estimates of the cost.

Mrs. Harvey noted that her department was overseeing the situation.

"We are monitoring it and the water will not be turned back on until we sanction it,'' she said.

HEALTH HTH