Is Toilet Water Cleaner Than Public School Water Fountains?

A 13-year-old in Oregon recently undertook a project in which he swabbed the spigots at public school water fountains and a toilet. He then put the bacteria from both into an incubator and grew it in petri dishes. The boy found more bacteria on the water fountains than in the toilet. This earned the boy a grade of A+ and started a national conversation about the cleanliness of public school water fountains.

• Schoolt toilet water--cleaner than drinking water?

Source of Water

• Bacteria contaminates school wells.

  Schools with their own wells, which account for about 10% of public schools in the United States, have the highest amount of water contamination, according to the Associated Press.

Coliform Bacteria

• Bacteria contaminates public school water.

  The most common contaminant found in school water fountains is coliform bacteria, which indicates contamination by fecal matter.

Lead

• Lead contaminates public school drinking water.

  Lead is the second most common contaminant found in public school drinking fountains. Lead can lower a child's IQ and slow development.

School Reporting Requirements

• Public schools do not have to report water issues.

  Public schools do not have to report any contaminants that may be found in their water to any agency. Many do not report them as they don't have the budget necessary to correct the problem.

Toilet Water

• Toilet

  Because toilets are continuously flushed, the water in them tends to be cleaner than water fountains. Toilets are occasionally cleaned, but water fountains are never cleaned.