Oakwood Elementary to connect to town water after test shows arsenic 17 times safe level
Nathaniel ShudaCORRECTION: The Oshkosh Area School District tests its well water every six months for E. coli and coliform bacteria. The district previously provided incorrect information as to what substances it monitors every six months.
TOWN OF ALGOMA - After tests showed levels of arsenic 17 times higher than allowable, Oakwood Elementary School will switch its water supply from a well to a municipal source.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tested two water samples at Oakwood Elementary School, 1225 N. Oakwood Road, on March 26 and April 29, according to a letter district leaders sent families Monday.
The April 29 sample came back 17.4 times higher than state and federal standards allow. District maintenance workers will start connecting the school to the town of Algoma's municipal water supply in July.
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People who consume water with high levels of arsenic over many years can develop skin disorders and are at increased risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and several types of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the interim, the school brought in bottled water for students, staff and visitors. Water fountains were shut off Friday, and hand washing stations that don't rely on well water were ready for use Thursday.
School leaders aren't sure how long the water may have had elevated arsenic levels, but the last test three years ago showed the levels were slightly below the state and federal standards, according to the district.
The town of Algoma created its own water service in 2003 as part of the Algoma Sanitary District after experiencing potentially high levels of arsenic in the groundwater, Town Chairman Joel Rasmussen said.
Property owners have the option of hooking up to the town's water service, and about two-thirds to three-fourths of the town does so, Rasmussen said. All new developments hook up to the new system. Others choose to continue relying on private wells, with some putting in reverse osmosis systems to treat the water, Rasmussen said.
The district always intended to connect the school to the town's water but was holding off with hopes it could coincide with a reconstruction of Omro Road in 2021, said Jim Fochs, the district's buildings and grounds director. Doing so would have allowed the district to run the water line under a grassy area. Now, it must redo the parking lot.
"Even though arsenic has been prevalent in our area, our well has always been fine," Fochs said.
State rules require arsenic testing every three years. In 2016, the level was slightly under the allowable level, Fochs said. The district also tests the well water every six months for bacteria, including E. coli and coliform. Nitrates tests happen every year. Arsenic is naturally found in the soil in this part of Wisconsin.
Contact Nathaniel Shuda at 920-426-6632 or nshuda@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @onwnshuda or Facebook at www.facebook.com/onwnshuda.