A section of the East Jessamine soccer field between the stands and the field was surrounded by orange fence last week after high levels of E. coli were found in standing water. (Photo by Jonathan Kleppinger) |
Remediation work is being completed on the soccer field that was closed last week due to E. coli contamination, and the field could be ready for play as soon as next Tuesday.
A test sample of standing water at the East Jessamine soccer complex off Wilmore Road revealed a concentration of E. coli nine times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) acceptable risk criteria. The field was closed last Wednesday, Aug. 10, after an engineering firm advised school officials skin contact with water was the only danger present.
A contractor was on site Monday to install a French drain; that work was set to be completed Wednesday.
“There are a series of drains there, so we’re going to put in this drain that will lower the water level and then disperse the water out through this drain system instead of allowing it to stand,” Young said. “Once we’ve gotten it so that the water does disperse, we’ll treat the top of the area by bringing in additional topsoil.”
Other wet spots near the soccer field were tested Friday; no other areas showed contamination.
No sewer damage was found by a close by a closed-circuit television device run by the city of Nicholasville, Young said.
The East High girls’ home opener against Madison Central will be played at West High’s soccer field behind West Jessamine Middle School, district athletic director Ken Cox said Monday. The girls’ match Saturday will also be at West’s field.
The boys’ home opener Tuesday, Aug. 23, against Woodford County was set to be played at Asbury University’s soccer field in Wilmore, but Cox said Thursday the East field would be ready for the boys' opener.
Young said no additional testing should be needed once the standing-water problem is eliminated.
“We will probably do some topical treating there of the new topsoil and then put either grass seed or sod on that, depending on what our best advice is there,” she said. “But once the water’s gone, the E. coli should be, too.”
