Clearing up the drinking water in South Whidbey schools will cost about $600,000, but school officials are confident the fix will be funded with a federal grant.

Officials expect to hear soon whether the district will receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore clean water to the three affected schools.

The three-pronged engineering project is expected to be completed in August before school begins next fall.

“We are nearing the end of a long road,” said John Willson, director of maintenance and transportation for the district. “But we are not there yet.”

The proposed plan will not only remove the lead from the water but will further treat the water to reduce the mineral content.

The district has already received a $25,000 grant from the agriculture department to help foot the bill for bottled water. The grant was awarded in fall 2005 and will buy about six months of bottled water.

“We are spending about $4,000 a month on bottled water,” Willson said.

Before it’s all done the district will spend about $50,000 of its own money on bottled water.

In November 2004, district officials discovered the presence of lead in the drinking water at three of the district’s schools: the high school, primary school and elementary school, all located on Maxwelton Road.