Parents' fury as bacteria found in school's water

Bacteria has been discovered in the water supply at the crumbling Portobello High.

The city council insisted last week that the school's fountains were out of action simply because they were not working.

But it has now emerged that they were shut off because of a "persistent level of bacteria" in the school's water. Staff and pupils are being told to use bottled water until the problem can be fixed, though council chiefs insist there was never any risk.

The school's swimming pool, which is also used bylocal groups , remains closeddue to an unrelated problem.

Parents today claimed they had been kept in the dark about the water problem, while staff expressed fears over the cost of bottled water.

One staff member who contacted the Evening News said: "I'm sitting looking at a memo from the headteacher saying that the water in the school has 'a persistent level of bacteria', and is advising us to boil all the water for at least three minutes before we drink it.

"At a staff meeting yesterday we were told that the provision of bottled water would have to come from the school's budget.

"I think it's a disgrace that the school budget should have to be spent on bottled water. It's a basic amenity that a school should have water, and it should be up to the council to provide the money."

There had been rumours flying around the school ever since the water fountains were taken out of action last week, as the move came after a condition survey of the building was carried out.

Jackie Brock, chair of Portobello For A New School, said there was a lack of openness between the council and parents over various issues affecting the school.

She said: "We want reassurances that this report is going to be included in the condition survey when it is published next month.

"The council has been promising parents an information newsletter on a variety of issues, including the new school and condition of the school, since October and it's yet another example of a lack of communication between the council and parents.

"Parents will be demanding reassurances that bottled water, which is a basic right for children, will not come from the maintenance budget which has already been cut, when we have already had delays in getting the lift and boiler fixed and the windows replaced because of budget issues."

Parent council member Willie Wilson said: "It's really annoying that just because the building is in a bad state they are going to have to eat into their budget even more, which is fundamentally unfair. Our pupils are penalised because the building is rubbish."

A council spokeswoman said the bacteria had been discovered after routine testing: "The water tanks were chlorinated for hygiene reasons after routine samples found levels of non-harmful bacteria which would affect the taste of the water. There was no risk to health and the water was perfectly safe to drink.

"At present, a permanent solution is being investigated in order to upgrade the water supply."