Spanaway Schools Closed After Bacteria Found In Water

FRIDAY CLOSURESHIGH SCHOOLS: Spanaway Lake High School

Challenger High School

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL: Cedarcrest Junior High

Spanaway Junior High

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: Camas Prairie Elementary

Clover Creek Elementary

Evergreen Elementary

Spanaway Elementary

Chester H. Thompson Elementary

Naches Trail Elementary

The schools are: Spanaway Lake High School, Challenger High School, Spanaway Junior High, Cedarcrest Junior High, Camas Prairie Elementary, Evergreen Elementary, Spanaway Elementary, Chester H. Thompson Elementary, Naches Trail Elementary and Clover Creek Elementary School.

In addition, Bethel also closed Thompson Preschool, SLHS Preschool, Evergreen Early Head Start and the Lab Building on Friday.

Private schools, Cascade Christian Schools, Spanaway Elementary and Early Childhood Center are also closed on Friday because of possible water contamination. PRE- AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS PRE-SCHOOLS, HEAD START: Thompson Preschool

SLHS Preschool

Evergreen Early Head Start

The Lab Building

PRIVATE SCHOOLS: Cascade Christian Schools

Spanaway Elementary and Early Childhood Center

On Wednesday, the Spanaway Water Company announced a precautionary boil order to anyone who gets its water from them. Tests done on Tuesday detected the e.coli bacteria and the fecal coliform bacteria in the water.

About 20,000 customers are without safe drinking water.

"We investigating to try to determine why bacteria were in the water samples," said Jeff Johnson, manager of Spanaway Water Company. "In the meantime, we're taking a cautious approach to protect the health of our customers."

The Washington State Department of Health is working with the utility company to pinpoint the cause of the contamination, and hope to fix it.

Meantime, the water company will be taking additional water samples Thursday to help find the source of the contamination.

Some businesses, such as Starbucks, have closed until the problem is solved.

The water company has opened a water station to provide bottled water to its customers. It is located on the north side of the Home Depot located at 152nd and Military Road.

The Department of Health says customers should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, diswashing, preparing food and making ice. Tap water should be boiled for three to five minutes, and then allowed to cool before using.

The utility has established a hotline for any one with questions. The hotline number is: 253-875-5223.