The South Whidbey School District is getting ready to turn the taps back on in the schools. District officials said Wednesday the new water quality plant is closer to providing a drinkable supply to students when classes start again in the fall.

The primary, intermediate and high schools have been making do with bottled water since 2004, when unacceptable traces of lead were discovered in the system, along with iron and manganese that were coloring the water.

Joe Anastasi, district maintenance supervisor, reported Wednesday that the new plant continues to run and remove iron and manganese as designed.

“The reservoir has been cleaned out and lead testing samples have been taken and submitted to the lab for analysis,” he said.

“Pacific Ozone will be here next week to adjust the ozone generator and configure the alarm systems,” he told school board members at their meeting Wednesday. “The new caustic and chlorine dosing system probes will also be installed at that time.”

Test results will be available in approximately two weeks.