AISD finds cracked sewer pipe under Woodson Center after odor and illness reports
The district is running HEPA air cleaners while it lines up a contractor. It has not released its air-quality results.
SchoolsAbilene ISD says inspections found major cracks in cast-iron sewer piping under the foundation of the Woodson Center for Excellence. The inspections followed reports of a sewer odor in part of the building and of students and staff feeling sick, according to a letter Superintendent Dr. Joe Waldron sent to families and staff.
The district's facilities staff and an outside plumbing contractor traced the odor to the pipes. The campus is in a building that is almost 100 years old. Waldron wrote that the district had done air-quality testing, but the letter did not share the results or say whether the testing turned up any health concerns. It also did not say whether the illnesses were caused by the plumbing problem.
For now, the district is using HEPA air-cleaning units and odor-control products. It says it is close to hiring a contractor for a permanent fix to the underground pipes, and that campus leaders check conditions every day and may move classes if needed. The letter apologized for the disruption and promised more updates as the repairs go on.
