Almont, Imlay City districts given okay to welcome back students on Monday
TRI-CITY AREA — Sorry kids…the boil water advisory currently impacting Almont and Imlay City won’t delay the start of a new school year.
In a letter to parents issued on Monday, August 15, superintendents Dr. William Kalmar and Dr. Stu Cameron said both Almont and Imlay City districts would continue with plans to welcome back students on Monday, August 22, as originally planned.
The advisory, which went into effect on August 13 following the detection of a main break in St. Clair County, is predicted to last at least two weeks, according to the utility provider, Great Lakes Water Authority.
“Our Director of Maintenance has been in touch with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), which is the entity that helps train school personnel to monitor safe drinking water in their facilities. They’ve informed us that water from our system can be used to wash hands and for bathroom use, but cannot be used for food preparation or drinking,” Cameron wrote in a letter to parents on Monday.
“According to the Michigan Department of Education, we can hold school even while this advisory is in effect, as long as we use bottled or boiled water in food preparation and bottled water for drinking.”
All drinking fountains have been shut off and school meal offerings may be impacted as a result.
“We’ll make sure that we have as much bottled water on hand for kids and adults, and for cooking purposes, as possible the first week of school if we remain under advisory at that time,” he added.
Students in both districts will be encouraged to bring their own bottled water to school and athletic practices.
“You can be assured that our food service partners from Chartwells will strictly follow all of the appropriate safety procedures for food preparation during this advisory,” Kalmar told parents in Almont.
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Dryden Community Schools’s first day of classes is also Monday, August 22. Capac Community Schools will start the new school year on Tuesday, August 23.
