Parents at Sheet Harbour school miffed about lack of running water

Sheet Harbour parents are steaming Water problems at community's school means kids can't wash hands in sinks. Nick Moore reports.

SHEET HARBOUR, N.S. — Parents at one Nova Scotia school are concerned basic hygiene is going down the drain due to dry taps inside the building.

Duncan MacMillan High School in Sheet Harbour, N.S. was shut down Wednesday because the building had no running water.

The school reopened on Thursday, but parents say the lack of running water has been an ongoing problem for months.

The school board is blaming the issue on the building's water reservoir not filling properly.

"Yesterday, when we realized we were not going to have a potable water for a length of time, we felt it wasn't safe to keep the building open, so we closed it," Doug Hadley, spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, said Thursday.

Parents tell CTV News that the school, which has about 250 students, has remained open previously when the taps went dry.

"They need to have water for flushing toilets, washing hands," said parent Lorraine Boutilier. "When the cafeteria is open, they need to be able to wash dishes there as well."

The school has provided hand sanitizer as a substitute for soap and water when there's no running water, which is upsetting some people. The school board said hand sanitizer is an acceptable temporary remedy.

"It is a substitute as long as the alcohol content is above 60 per cent alcohol," said Hadley. "The solution in the school is above that, so for a short period of time, it's not a concern for us in terms of health and safety."

Bottled water has been delivered to the school for drinking.

Repairs to the school's water supply have been made once again and the school board is confident the fix will stick.

Duncan MacMillan High School will be closing for good at the end of the current academic year, with a new school opening nearby in September.