Oulton Academy: Leeds school remains closed for third day running over burst sewage line
A Leeds school remains closed for a third day running as a result of a burst sewage line.
Teachers at Oulton Academy said they were “extremely disappointed”, as teams from Yorkshire Water scramble to resolve the issue.
The “significant backup”, that was first reported on Monday (January 27), has left the site without any water.
It has meant that toilets, handwashing facilities and food preparation areas are all out of order.
Students at Oulton Academy have been emailed work to complete at home.
Last night, the school’s principal John Higgins was on the campus late into the evening with the site manager and engineers from the utility company.
But parents are still waiting for the school to reopen, as they were told that the problem has not yet been resolved in an update shortly after 6am this morning.
It said: “Despite Yorkshire Water working through the night, the complex nature of the drain network and location has prevented them from being able to completely clear the blockage and enable us to re-open, therefore, we will remain closed today.
“Work will continue throughout the day with further vehicles needing to access the site. We are extremely disappointed to be unable to open and appreciate your ongoing patience. Further updates will follow.”
Parents were told earlier in the week that the “health and safety of our students, staff, and community is our highest priority” and that there was a “risk of serious contamination” if it were to open.
Work and activities have been uploaded onto the school’s online platforms, which staff said should “keep students engaged and on track during this unexpected closure”.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: “Our teams found and were able to partially clear a blockage on the school’s private property in the early hours of the morning (29 January), and advised the school how they will need to proceed in order to completely clear the drain and prevent further issues.
“We appreciate the patience of the school and parents whilst we conducted these investigations.”