Update: Lexington High School reopened Wednesday morning after repairs to the water main were completed by DPW on Tuesday afternoon.

Lexington High School is closed for school today because a pipe ruptured, causing a significant flood, Superintendent Julie Hackett emailed Lexington Public Schools families around 2 a.m. this morning. 

She was alerted about the flood at around 1 a.m. 

“Water levels have reached several inches in depth, and the lower quad — a primary pathway between classes — is completely impassable.” Hackett wrote. “With icy conditions also expected today, we cannot safely operate school.”

Public facilities crews have been at the high school since early morning to remedy the flood. 

Source: Shawn Newell
Source: Shawn Newell

“The eight-inch water main that feeds the domestic water to all buildings at LHS had a severe crack that spanned 84 inches flooding out to the lower quad,” Shawn Newell, Lexington’s assistant director of public facilities, wrote to LexObserver. “This pipe ran between the math and world language buildings.”

In order to fix the pipe, the crews had to turn off LHS’s water, which cut off water to the kitchen and bathrooms. But by late morning, a new pipe was installed. It may take some time to get the water running again properly, without “bringing any sediment into the system,” Newell said in a video.

Newell and his team will next work to fill in the hole. 

LHS Principal Andrew Baker expects school to resume tomorrow, he wrote to LHS students today. 

This is a developing story. Check back on this article for updates.

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