Clean Bill of Health for Calabasas Water

Water officials in Calabasas said Saturday night that tests have confirmed the purity of tap water they feared had been contaminated by bacteria. The episode began Wednesday with the accidental linking of a pipe carrying recycled waste water with a drinking-water line. Residents had been advised to drink bottled water pending tests to ensure the safety of tap water. Bottled-water companies took the opportunity to send salespeople door-to-door, offering discounts to those who signed up for a year’s supply of water. The test results mean “people can resume normal water use, but it also means that there was never any cause for health concerns in the system,” said Arlene Post, spokeswoman for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District. B6

Elementary Confusion

A recent debate on whether to invest an additional $1.2 million in a controversial reading program for struggling pupils was a lesson in how decisions in the LAUSD are made. Board of Education members previously had approved a class-size reduction without realizing the move could compromise the Reading Recovery program. Reading instructor Dana Beruk works with student Irene Acosta at Lemay Street School in Van Nuys. B1

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LA TIMES MAGAZINE: Fall home design: Southland’s love affair with the modern house continues.

BOOK REVIEW: Peter Marin examines the centuries-old search for God, truth and solitude.

BUSINESS: Sorting out Wall Street’s wild week from a global and a personal perspective.

OPINION: The Asian markets were only an excuse for anxious investors to cut and run.

LIFE & STYLE: CalArts fashion statement: Christopher Cichocki in wild shirt and tangerine glasses.