Maplewood Schools try to tackle a smelly situation
CORTLAND, Ohio - Students are complaining about a smelly odor inside Maplewood Middle School.
It's believed an aging sewer vent pipe has cracks throughout, allowing a foul smell to fill the air near the boys second and third floor bathrooms as well as the cafeteria.
"It definitely has a sewer smell to it and again it's after lunch for the most part," Perry Nicholas said, Maplewood Schools superintendent.
Nicholas says the district called in a plumbing company to look at the problem. He says the plumbers tested the pipe from the rooftop. A rooftop exhaust fan was ordered and is expected to arrive shortly to provide temporary relief.
The district is waiting on an official estimate for repairs. Nicholas expects repairs to range in the thousands of dollars. Two walls will need to be ripped down to reach the aging pipe.
21 News first brought this problem to the attention of the Trumbull County Health District, which now plans to review the final repairs.
For now the school is using paper lunch trays to avoid using hot water.
"We think because we wash the trays, it pushes up through the vent itself, which goes to the roof and it just increases the smell," Nicholas said.
Permanent repairs are expected to take place over Christmas break.
