a day ago
Pennsylvania high school faces more than $1 million in cleanup, repairs after flooding
Garnet Valley High School is recovering from significant flood damage after a powerful thunderstorm hit Delaware County, Pennsylvania, last week.
Wednesday's storm left multiple areas of the building under water and disrupted several summer programs.
Cleanup efforts are now underway after floodwaters poured into the school's auditorium, boiler room and electrical system room.
"The rain that we received that evening eclipsed the five-to-10-year statistics they had on flooding and the amount of rainfall we received that evening, so pretty catastrophic," Superintendent Marc Bertrando said.
Bertrando estimates the damage could cost the district anywhere from $1 million to $3 million.
Cellphone video captured torrents of water flowing into the auditorium and filling the orchestra pit. The boiler room and the room housing the school's electrical system were also flooded.
The flood caused a total power outage. As of Monday, the building was still without electricity.
"Super excited it happened in the summer and not during school, because if it happened during the school year, our building would have been shut down for several weeks," Bertrando said.
The flooding has disrupted student activities. Summer sports programs, including cheerleading, volleyball and basketball practice, have been relocated to nearby Garnet Valley Middle School.
Football players are using a generator-powered shed to lift weights in the heat.
"We were supposed to have a mini camp," said senior Paxton Hunt. "So I was definitely a little upset hearing it. They're putting a lot of work into the school, and it's definitely upsetting having another setback like this."
Athletic director Seth Brunner praised the coaching staff for quickly adjusting.
"It really goes to show how dedicated our coaches are," Brunner said. "They didn't want to let this hiccup affect their teams at all."
To prevent similar damage in the future, the district plans to elevate the school's electrical systems above flood level.
"Should a once-in-a-lifetime event happen twice, it will be high enough that it won't be impacted," Bertrando said.
District officials said they're doing everything possible to ensure Garnet Valley High School is ready to reopen in time for the first day of school on Aug. 25.
Until then, it's a summer of cleanup, patience and flexibility.
