ETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Research by high school students has concluded that five major springs which serve as a main source of water in the south Bethlehem area are inadequate for human use as a result of the high rates of fecal coliform bacteria contaminating that water.

The research was organized as an extracurricular activity by a well-known teacher from Bethlehem Secondary Boys School on Oct. 6.

The teacher took a number of distinguished students to visit five springs and take samples for lab tests. The tests were conducted twice to make sure the findings were accurate, the teacher said.

The findings showed that water in Ein Salih, Ein Atan, Ein al-Farrouja, Ein al-Burak, and Ein Artas springs is dangerously contaminated and completely inadequate for human use.

As a result, the school’s administration, teachers and students appealed to Palestinian officials to deal with the dangers which could harm residents if they continue to use water from those springs.

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