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EDDY RAMIREZPope John Paul II Catholic's toilets are working but drinking fountains remain off limits.
LECANTO - Lou Whitaker was grateful Wednesday to have working toilets at Pope John Paul II Catholic School.
A day earlier, the principal had learned that the main pipeline that carries water to the school had burst. Even if she ordered the drinking fountains shut off, there would not be enough water in the system for the toilets to flush properly.
"Drinking water is not the problem. It's not using the toilet," Whitaker said. "Everybody has to go as soon you say you can't use the bathroom."
As it happened, Whitaker did not have to cancel classes Wednesday. County workers repaired the broken pipeline and water levels have returned to normal.
The drinking fountains, however, will remain off limits, at least until the county says the water is safe to drink.
In the meantime, students are drinking bottled water, which is being supplied by the county.
Whitaker said she appreciated the county's swift response but noted that this was not the first time that crews have had to make repairs to the waterline.
In the five years that she has been principal, Whitaker said the pipeline has ruptured four or five times. Three years ago, the school's driveway buckled when the pipeline broke, washing out the soil beneath. The county quickly dispatched crews to the site, patched the pipe and repaved the driveway, Whitaker said.
But the incident still caused a disruption. Parents who used the driveway to drop off their children could no longer drop them off in front of the school.
Whitaker took the situation in stride. "The kids turned it into a field trip. They sat outside and watched the steam rollers go by," she said.
County Commissioner Jim Fowler brought the issue up for discussion during the commission's meeting Tuesday. He asked county staffers for their help in preventing any further problems.
Robert Merkel, the county's assistant utilities director, said Wednesday that a new, stronger pipeline will be installed but couldn't say when the project will be completed.
""We're in the process of deciding now whether it's going to be done immediately or in the near future," Merkel said, adding that the county must secure a state permit and order replacement parts. It's unclear how much the project will cost.
Whitaker said she hopes the county moves quickly to replace the underground pipe.
Ideally, she would like the county to make repairs when school is out, especially if repairs mean that the school will be without water.
In April, Citrus Springs Elementary School and Citrus Springs Middle School were also forced to shut off their water fountains after a loss of water pressure.
For almost a week, students drank bottled water that teachers dispensed in paper cups. Officials blamed low rainfall for the drop in water levels.
Eddy Ramirez can be reached at eramirez@sptimes.com or 860-7305.