Water harvesting saves the day for some Clarendon schools

Classes at some schools in Clarendon are going full speed ahead as institutions rely on storage facilities to offset disruptions caused by the industrial action by workers at the National Water Commission.

Acting principal of Lennon High Tanisha Powell said there has been no disruption to classes as water is still in the school's tanks.

She, however, cannot say how long this will continue.

It was noted that the lack of water in communities has impacted attendance.

Powell said some students have not turned up for classes and at least one teacher has been unable to report for work.

“If the strike continues and the tank water runs out we will have to close the school. I really do hope that this strike is settled and we get back to normalcy because it's not good,” she said.

Principal of Kellits High School, Texal Christie, shared with The Gleaner that because the institution has always had water issues, it has been relying on trucked water as well as sourcing water privately for its tanks.

He said there will be no disruption of classes as the schools has enough supply for now.

“Because up this side we always have water problems, we kind of prepared,” he said.

Hikeba Haase, principal of Morgan's Pass Primary, is thankful for the supply system set up at the school which ensures that toilets are flushed.

It is her hope that the industrial action by the NWC workers will end before the storage of drinking water runs out.

“We were able to top up with drinking water yesterday and now trying to do everything to conserve to keep school going. When it comes to the flushing of the toilet we have the river close by so we set up some big pipelines and we use that water for the restrooms. We use a pump that we have to pump water to the tanks,” she shared.

Chapelton Primary, which relies on water from a tank, has seen its supply running “very low” prompting principal Christine Walters to make the decision to suspend classes for the afternoon shift.

“Some of the students are here already so we will be notifying their parents and for those on the morning shift, we will alert them when they are leaving,” she informed.

Central High School has resorted to moving classes online as the institution has been without water since yesterday.

Principal Stellavit Ingram said that until the situation resolves, this arrangement will remain in place.

- Cecelia Campbell-Livingston

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