THE Department of Health is investigating how a drinking water fountain at a Cranbourne school was connected to recycled water, and what adverse effects may have been suffered by students who drank from it for more than a year.
St Peter’s College Principal Tim Hogan told Leader a fountain at the school’s east campus was connected to Class A recycled water following landscaping works at the school in December, 2013.
Class A recycled water is the highest class of reclaimed water and is intended for uses such as watering gardens and the irrigation of crops grown for human consumption.
“The Department of Health and Human Services has been working with the school to assess any potential health impacts but we are not aware of any student illnesses as a result of this cross connection,” Mr Hogan said.
“Advice we have received from the department is that drinking the Class A recycled water may have led to a slightly increased risk of gastro.
“I should point out that there has been thorough testing of all drinking water outlets at the campus and no other issues have been found.”
The problem was detected by a maintenance worker and the college was alerted on April 1. Mr Hogan said the fountain was immediately disconnected.
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