The Chiniak school’s water system usually pumps its water from a well and uses a transformer to correct the amount of power the pump needs, but that crucial piece of equipment is missing.
Kodiak Island Borough Superintendent Cyndy Mika said it was stolen about a month ago.
“Whoever stole it was very knowledgeable because they didn’t get shocked when they disconnected it all,” she said. “They’re very lucky, basically, that the pump didn’t try to turn on while it was being stolen.”
A spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers said it received a report on Thursday and the investigation is ongoing.
The transformer was housed in a large metal box that was mounted to a wall and had wires connecting to the rest of the system. It’s supposed to convert a 480 volt current – four times as much as most household outlets – to a 220 volt current, a similar amount for appliances like ovens.
It powered the system that runs the school’s only water source. [WEB: One of the teachers in Chiniak also lives in a house near the school that also relied on that source.] Mika said that means the district has contracted trucks to bring water to Chiniak multiple times a week to fill a tank because it currently can’t rely on the well.
“In order for it to run, we have to maintain so many thousands of gallons of water in it,” Mika said. “And so we are hauling 2000 gallons of water out in a water tank on a truck three times a week.”
It’s costing the district about $1,200 every week to ship a total of 6000 gallons of water just to keep the Chiniak school open. That doesn’t include the wages to pay a maintenance team to go out there.
“You have to have water, and so 15 hours a week for two guys off is 30 hours of preventative maintenance tickets that we’re not able to do,” Mika said.
The school has a combined 20 people between staff and students ranging from kindergarten to high school juniors.
The borough is fronting the money for a replacement transformer, that’s estimated to be another $5,000. Mika said they might also have to replace other parts of the water system, too.. She’s unsure if the borough or the school district will end up paying for everything or if costs will be split.
“It’s disheartening and it’s a shame,” she said. “And I almost want to put a plea out to whoever stole it. You might need it for something, but we need it more. We need it more because we’re educating the kids in Chiniak.”
Mika didn’t have an estimate when the situation will be resolved because the replacement transformer hasn’t arrived yet, and they don’t know when an electrician will be available to install it.
