GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Public Schools will close all schools on Tuesday as the city continues to deal with a water boil advisory.
Grand Rapids issued a boil water advisory for portions of the city after a large water main break in the area of Leonard Street NE and Union Avenue NE on Sunday.
The city said residents should boil their water if they live east of US-131 and north of Hall Street. About 20,000 people impacted live in the City of Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township.
Officials hope to have the advisory lifted by Wednesday, but until then residents in the affected area should not drink tap water without boiling it. Residents should bring water to a boil, let it boil for one minute and then allow it to cool before using it.
Beyond homes and businesses, 22 Grand Rapids Public School sites are also under the boil water advisory.
GRPS had a pre-scheduled closure for students on Monday for a staff in-service day. Most team members at the impacted buildings are working remotely. District offices will remain open.
Officials said they'll share an update for classes on Wednesday by close of business on Tuesday.
“The boil water advisory has had a huge impact on school operations districtwide so we have decided to close all schools on Tuesday so that we can address this matter,” GRPS Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby said. “Cancelling school for any reason is always a challenging decision. The health, safety, and well-being of our scholars must be at the forefront of our planning.”
The GRPS Facilities & Operations team will visit each impacted building to flush out the water systems once they get an all-clear.
The district will make bottled water available to those affected schools once classes resume.
Here are the GRPS locations that are located within the water boil impact area:
- Aberdeen Elementary
- Center for Economicology
- City High Middle
- Coit Creative Arts Academy
- Congress Elementary
- East Leonard Elementary
- Gerald R. Ford Academic Center
- Grand Rapids Learning Center
- Grand Rapids Montessori Academy
- Grand Rapids Montessori Middle High
- Grand Rapids Public Museum High School
- Grand Rapids UPrep
- Innovation Central High School
- Kent Hills Elementary
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy
- North Park Montessori | Wellerwood
- Palmer Elementary
- Riverside Middle School
- GRPS Nutrition Services Building
- GRPS Facilities & Operations Building
- GRPS University
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