Charlotte school uses buckets to flush students’ toilets but ‘only after each class’
Teachers and staff used buckets to flush toilets and students had no water to wash their hands at Whitewater Academy after a water main broke Thursday, a parent whose child attends the school told The Charlotte Observer.
The parent, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said teachers and staff members used buckets to flush toilets for students but “only after each class not after each student” when water service was interrupted to the building. For two days, the parent and a teacher’s spouse told the Observer, some parents were so concerned about conditions they took their children home early.
The parent and teacher’s spouse said the school had no water to drink, wash hands or flush toilets Thursday into Friday. The water pipe broke underground connecting Whitewater Academy and Whitewater Middle School on Thursday. Both schools sit on White Rapids Road in northwest Charlotte. Whitewater Academy serves about 780 pre-K through Grade 5 students.
Eddie Perez, a media relations specialist for CMS, told the Observer on Friday repairs were complete at Whitewater Middle and the building was fully functional. Repairs were not complete for Whitewater Academy and expected to continue through the day. He said bottled water would continue to be supplied.
Cassie Fambro, a media relations specialist for CMS, said efforts to mitigate effects on students included bringing in operations personnel that deployed “jet vacs” to force water and pressure to make toilets flush as well as custodial staff to maintain cleanliness.
“The water main break was certainly not ideal,” Fambro said.
She added that “cases upon cases of water were brought to both schools and at no point were students ever without drinking water.”
Repairs at Whitewater Academy were expected to be complete Friday, pending weather interference.
“Plumbers will be on site and will remain on site to monitor water pressure until repairs are completed,” Perez said. “Jet machines are in place to ensure toilets are working. Coordination has taken place with school nutrition for food services.”
Still, the parent who spoke to the Observer said she’s upset there wasn’t more communication. She said parents received two voicemails from Principal Lauren Bloom, one Thursday and another Friday, but they didn’t explain the severity of the issue.
In the voicemail left for parents Friday morning, Bloom said maintenance crews were working to resolve the issue as soon as possible in an effort to keep the school safe, clean and well-maintained. Learning and teaching have not been interrupted, functional restrooms are available for all students and staff and the cafeteria continues to run as scheduled, Bloom said.
But the parent said she doesn’t consider using buckets to flush “functional.” The teacher’s spouse told the Observer the wait for the one working restroom was more than 30 minutes.
This story was originally published May 6, 2022 at 1:10 PM.
