Discolored water creates problems at north Raleigh elementary school

Wake County Public School System spokeswoman Lisa Luten confirmed that the water at Brassfield Elementary School was discolored and system protocol dictates that the water should not be used for cooking or drinking.

Crews with Aqua North Carolina, a private system that provides water to the school, were at the school Tuesday morning to flush out the water system.

An Aqua North Carolina spokesperson said the company occasionally experiences discolored water due to elevated levels of naturally occurring iron and manganese in groundwater. The company is in the process of implementing a regional plan to address these elevated levels, including filtration, regular system pipe flushing and tank cleaning.

Officials with Aqua North Carolina said the water is safe to drink, even if it is discolored, but school officials said they prefer to not use discolored water for drinking or food preparation.

Cases of water were being brought in for students and staff members at Brassifled Elementary School as needed Tuesday afternoon.

Aqua North Carolina said employees are working with school officials to identify the cause of Tuesday's incident.