The Parents’ Association of CEIP Josefina Manresa in Orihuela has once again reported serious defects at the school. On this occasion, the issue concerns a recurring problem at the centre: sewage leaking from the pipes that run from the school dining hall.
The AMPA recalls that “in addition to the kitchen being propped up, making it impossible to cook on the premises, we are once again facing this recurring problem at the school.” According to the association, the issue “has been awaiting action by the Regional Ministry since 2018, which has repeatedly delayed the renewal of all the school’s drainage pipes for various reasons, including the 2019 DANA storms, which required financial investment to repair the school, the COVID pandemic, and later difficulties in carrying out the project due to its high cost, which involved additional administrative procedures.”
The AMPA states that the school has now been waiting eight years for the full repair of its pipework. The current condition of the system prevents rainwater from draining properly, causes sewage from the dining hall to surface, and creates further problems with the drainage of the toilets.
Regarding this latest incident, the AMPA points out that “the City Council has always sent a drain-clearing truck — although sometimes late — to resolve the problem temporarily. However, this is a structural issue caused by palm tree roots infiltrating the pipes. As it is structural damage, it falls under the responsibility of the Regional Ministry to resolve it.”
The association also stresses that the part of the playground currently closed due to the flooding is the coolest area of the schoolyard. With the high temperatures in recent days, pupils have been unable to use this important shaded space.
The AMPA says it is awaiting a response from the Directorate-General for Education and Educational Infrastructure, as well as from the Regional Ministry, regarding this matter. The association also insists that it is not acceptable to claim that the pipe renewal works cannot be carried out because the school is located within the palm grove area, noting that just a couple of years ago the piping of the palm grove drainage channel was carried out without any problem.
