Kanawha Co. Schools Pulling Brand of Bottled Water from Circulation

Test results show bottled water provided to Kanawha County Schools do not contain coliform after a health official discontinued its use Wednesday.

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department ran tests for coliform, an indicator of bacteria, after complaints that the water had a musty smell and an issue with taste.

Kanawha-Charleston Health Department Director Dr. Rahul Gutpa embargoed the use of a specific lot of Ice Mountain water sent from the Federal Emergency Management Agency linked to the complaints. The water was shipped to Sharon Dawes Elementary, John Adams Middle and Andrew Jackson Middle Schools.

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources Karen Bowling says they have contacted Ice Mountain water and samples will be submitted for further testing from the company.

Bowling said in a release she believes the smell was related to wherever the bottles had been stored before being donated to West Virginia schools.

Kanawha County Schools are working to remove the brand of water from all schools and will not circulate additional supplies in storage.

The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working to determine where the shipment of water came from since supplies were donated by more companies and organizations than just FEMA.