When Jacob Giroir got a drink of water at school this week, he did so from a newly installed Kentwood water cooler.

The East St. John Elementary School student — just like all his classmates — was using what was available to him, now that water fountains at his school have been covered with trash bags and all students and staff members have been instructed not to drink from the parish water system.

That reality and the fact St. John Parish Schools leaders sent home letters to parents saying the district strives to “be overly cautious, because your children are our children” while maintaining outside water has been brought into certain schools for their drinking safety underlines a perception-as-reality concern St. John the Baptist Parish leaders need to get used to.

This is all in direct response to the discovery last week of Naegleria fowleri ameba in St. John Water District No. 1.

Never mind that St. John Parish government and Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals officials maintain the water impacted by the ameba is safe to drink, many just feel safer avoiding it as much as possible.

It’s a public relations battle St. John officials need not waste their energy fighting by sending out press releases, like the one that went out Thursday, titled “St. John Takes Quick Action to Address Chlorine Deficiency.”

It’s not the focus anymore, nor should it be.

Louisiana State Police are currently investigating the working habits of two parish water quality sampler inspectors, one water treatment manager and the utilities director.

The potential oversight concerning reporting inconsistencies with St. John water testing needs to be the focus.

The fact parish leaders notified residents last week of the emergency order and recommended precautions through all means of contact — which should be a given — is notable but not worth recognition.

There is little doubt St. John leaders are working hard to correct this action and worked fast to alert the public of the concern when news broke Aug. 27, but the focus from this day forward needs solely to be on identifying where the breakdown in water reporting occurred, detailing that point for authorities and the public and implementing the solution so it does not occur again.

Then, maybe, our students can use the water fountains again.