$1.00
August 12, 2021
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
EnglewoodHerald.net
VOLUME 101 | ISSUE 26
Englewood Schools to require masks indoors for all New policy aligns with guidance from Tri-County Health City of Englewood workers help distribute water outside the Englewood City Center on Friday, Aug. 6.
PHOTO BY MARK HARDEN
Englewood’s boil-water warning followed earlier violations City official: Previous issues were ‘not linked’ to E. coli situation BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The City of Englewood received notice of a violation of water regulations from the Colorado publichealth department in late July, just a week before the city had to warn residents to boil water to avoid pos-
sible E. coli infection, according to city officials. The broken regulation cited by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment centered on a type of precaution called “backflow testing” — and the city just achieved compliance in the early part of this August. But although Englewood was out of compliance until around the time it had to issue a boil-water advisory, the violation isn’t what led to the E. coli contamination, city officials say. “The two are not linked,” said
Pieter Van Ry, director of the Englewood Utilities Department. “This (the E. coli contamination) was a residential meter assembly issue, not a backflow issue, at a home where we collected the water sample.” On the afternoon of Aug. 4, the city announced that it found a sample of drinking water that tested positive for E. coli, instructing Englewood residents across a large section of the city to boil water before using it.
BY SHANNA MAXCY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Englewood Schools students will start the school year required to wear masks no matter their COVID-19 vaccination status. The new guideline comes after the Tri-County Health Department endorsed universal masking on Aug. 4. Tri-County Health oversees public health in Arapahoe, Douglas and Adams counties. “As we prepare for the start of the school year, we have been monitoring the changing health conditions in the community and having discussions with our partners at Tri-County Health regarding the best way to keep students and staff healthy and safe as well as provide an optimal in-person learning environment,”
SEE WATER, P18
SEE MASKS, P16
New location
AMAZON IS NOW HIRING IN COMMERCE CITY
Scan to apply or visit amazon.com/startnow
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer.
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 23
DIVERSE FAITHS
A variety of religions, beliefs found across metro area P14