by David Croyle
A rumor that spread throughout the Elderton school attendance area yesterday had parents and teachers concerned about the quality of drinking water in the Elderton Elementary and Junior-Senior High School complex.
Bill Ferrier, Water Operator for the Eastern Armstrong County Municipal Authority in Elderton, who is responsible for the quality control of the water treatment plant, denied any problems with the water system.
“It blew my mind when I had one of my boys come and ask me, ‘Dad why do we have to take bottled water to school tomorrow?’ and I said, ‘You don’t.’ He said, ‘Well we just got a phone call saying there is something wrong with the water there.’”
Ferrier said he began receiving phone calls last night asking questions about water quality at the school.
“All my tests pass everything they need to pass,” Ferrier said. “I live in the town. I drink the water from the town and I have two boys in the town. I guarantee I am not going to put my family at risk over anything. I guarantee there is not a problem with the water.”
Armstrong School District School Board President Rose Stitt also denied the rumor during an interview on Family-Life TV’s Talk of the Town program, stating that a filter was changed yesterday at the school, but that water quality was checked and there was no sediment in the water.
“The janitor said the water was clear. This [rumor] is absolutely fabricated. This is just one of many rumors that have been fabricated about Elderton High School. That school was voted to be opened in December. Our District is moving on and moving forward. Our students are back in the school. People need to accept that and quit making these vicious rumors up.”
Stitt compared this rumor with one earlier in the year about mold at Ford City High School.
“Someone was trying to say there was toxic mold at Ford City High School. We had that all tested and everything was fine. There was no mold. This is once again another rumor that we had to settle. We always insure our children and our staff’s safety first.”
Stitt said concerned parents are welcome to call the school district with any concerns they have any time they hear of any problems in their local school buildings.