Some iron but school water issue is clearing

DINGMAN - The preliminary results of lab tests on water from the well at the Dingman-Delaware Middle School are showing high levels of iron, but Marvin Eversdyke, director of support services, says the test results won’t impact the new school year. Eversdyke said the middle school well has been flushed twice and the water is crystal clear. Consultants will provide alternatives for treating the iron issue, if the district decides to treat it at all. They may not, because a feeder pipe has been supplying water from the elementary school well. It has more than enough pressure to supply both buildings and the third well isn’t really needed, he said. The connector pipe has been providing water for the toilets since recent problems arose with the 550-foot-deep middle school well. And with the system flushed, Eversdyke said the state has lifted the bottled water requirement for the building. “We know the water is acidic, hard water. This has been a very sensitive problem and we want to come up with a long-term solution,” Eversdyke said. He said he is hoping that solution will be less expensive than the $1.5 million projected price for a water storage tank and central pumping facility. But a tank is generally installed to back up lower pressure wells against higher daily use periods. “We don’t really have that problem as our two good wells produce 45 and 75 gallons per minute.” Eversdyke said he would not expect the consultant’s recommendations to be available before September. “We’ll be fine for the opening of school,” he said.