Sewer blockage closes Immanuel Christian School

Workers finished the job of unblocking a sewer line between Aylmer Christian Reformed Church and Immanuel Christian School on Friday morning March 6. Principal Keith Cameron said a problem with the plumbing at the school was first noticed during parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday evening which worsened overnight into Thursday. The school was open on Thursday but the toilets had already started to overflow by 8:30 a.m. Pupils went on “field trips” class by class across the parking lot to the church for washroom breaks. The plumbing at the school and church was back to normal by 10:30 a.m. on Friday and Immanuel Christian School would reopen on Monday, March 9. Mr. Cameron said the blockage was caused by construction debris left in a sewer junction when a manhole was installed in the parking lot circa 1980. Over time, other materials collected in the sewer which eventually caused the blockage. Due to the cold temperatures, the sewer line from between the school and the church froze solid. The water was shut off at the school to keep the toilets from overflowing. As there was no water service and the school couldn’t be cleaned for Friday morning’s start of classes, Mr. Cameron said he made a judgement call and closed the school for the day.