Pueblo County School District 70 plans to repair critical safety issues in several schools
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Major safety issues are plaguing multiple schools in Pueblo County.
Extensive water damage, wastewater problems, and non-working fire alarms all need critical repairs. The issues are impacting multiple campuses, including Pueblo West and Pueblo County High Schools.
District 70 leaders said they only have 45 percent of the funds needed to make major repairs, and right now, they're working on figuring out how to pay for it.
When people first walk into Pueblo County High School, they'll catch a whiff of the musty smell that lingers from extensive water damage.
"As you walk around, our ceiling tiles are coming down in different classrooms. Our roof is in desperate need of repair throughout the entire school. There are some sections that have been here for 48 years and have never been replaced,” said Rhonda Rein, Superintendent for D70.
Rein added that the high school was first built for about 800 students and staff. However, the current number of students and staff is much larger than that.
"So we have around 1200 students now, 1400 with the staff. And so that sewage system cannot keep up with our current population,” said Rein.
"So we've received two different Best Grants. One is for the improvement of fire alarms, and that one is $570,000 and we have a $777,000 match. And the other grant that we received was for the roof and the sewage system at Pueblo County High School, and that one is for $4.3 million and the $3.3 million. And then we have a $4 million match,” said Rein.
The district is also out of compliance with EPA standards because of its out-of-date sewage system. Repairs were made in 2021 but they need more money to fix the entire system. The district is considering taking this issue to voters to see if they will help fund the repairs through a mill levy override. However, they said that won't happen until next school year.
