A flood that occurred at the South Whidbey High School main gymnasium last weekend has made the facility temporarily unusable and has required the school board to declare an emergency to speed up remediation efforts.

Monday morning, Director of Operations Scott Peacock received a call from a custodian who informed him the gym was flooded. When he arrived, Peacock saw what looked like 90% of the gym floor under a quarter inch of water, he said during a board workshop on Wednesday.

The flooding originated from an old pipe that surrounded a 500-gallon water heater, and is unrelated to the water leak that, a few weeks ago, resulted from drilling holes to conduct soil testing, according to Peacock, who could not confirm how much water was lost in that particular incident.

This past weekend, Peacock suspects the pipe gave way to strong water pressure. Just two days before the leak, workers were repairing the pumphouse, the well that feeds the high school and the other district buildings located on Maxwelton Road. The high pressure fire system pushed water into the domestic lines of the high school, weakening the already old and failing water pipe that likely broke Saturday night.

This failure happened a week after a company inspected all of the district’s water heaters and the plumbing around them to identify those that needed to be replaced or fixed. This incident, Peacock said, felt like “a nasty kick in the shins.”

The water heater is located in a mechanical room in the gym building. Peacock estimates the water might have leaked for about 36 hours, affecting the gym floor and some rooms connected to the girls locker rooms. The floor, Peacock said, is unsalvageable as the floorboards are cupping and curling under the effect of the water.

In an email, Superintendent Jo Moccia said the district is unsure of the full extent of the financial impact of this incident, but insurance should cover all repair costs.

Wednesday, the board unanimously voted to declare an emergency and waive competitive bidding to expedite the repairs. Director of Finance Paul Field explained this was a necessary decision because there might not be enough time to go through a normal bidding process.

Peacock added that the district is competing for a limited amount of resources. Two other schools in Western Washington have had floods last week. To make sure they get the best price, district officials needs to move quickly, he said.

The district needs to replace the floor, remove and demolish the water heater, tear out the sheetrock behind the water heater and replace the plumbing, while the oldest water heaters and attached plumbing will also be replaced, Peacock said.

The hope, Moccia wrote in the email, is to reopen the gym by basketball season, which starts in November.

The district is evaluating different quotes for the remediation work and will only move forward once it gets confirmation that insurance will cover those costs, Field said.

In an interview, Peacock said the district currently plans to temporarily move volleyball practice and games to the community center. According to Moccia, volleyball equipment was also damaged by the flood.

The district is discussing the possibility of transporting kids after school to the community center, a cost that would be covered by insurance along with other additional costs, Field said.

The gym classes will be held in the auxiliary gym, outdoors and in other facilities for physical activity, and the plan will be further discussed in the coming weeks, Peacock said.

Board members expressed concern about the incident but were also relieved that it was discovered and addressed before the damages could become more serious.

Although it’s a challenge that came as a complete and unwelcome surprise, it does provide an opportunity for some creative ideas.

Currently, Moccia said Wednesday, there is a “huge” pile of floorboards behind the school, many of which are warped and have nails, paint and wax.

Board Member Marnie Jackson said gym floors can hold sentimental value and that some people take old gym floor pieces. She asked if the shop class could turn the least damaged floor boards into heirloom picture frames.

Peacock said he has already contacted the shop teacher about this idea, as the floorboards can be recycled.

Moccia also mentioned the possibility of repainting the new floor, which would be a source of pride for the years to come.

In the midst of a crisis less than a month away from the start of the school year, Peacock saw the solidarity of a community that cares about its students. Soon after the discovery, maintenance, custodial and administrative staff off duty showed up to the gym and grabbed mops and squeegees, Peacock said. Contractors, plumbers and flood restoration workers also promptly showed up.

“We had so many people who gave so much to come in and help us out,” he said. “That really shows what it is (like) to be part of a close-knit and dedicated community.”