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Schools Dismiss Early Before Water Shut Off

SCRANTON — Many places in Lackawanna County are seeing some disruption from the water outage, and that includes seven schools in the Scranton and Riversid...

SCRANTON -- Many places in Lackawanna County are seeing some disruption from the water outage, and that includes seven schools in the Scranton and Riverside School districts. They all had to dismiss early on Thursday.

Not long after students showed up for class at Riverside East Elementary in Moosic, word came they would be dismissed early, before the water to the area was shut off. It was another disruption to school.

“Oh, it's been a mess, yep, two hour delays, no school. The weather's been bad, and now this? And now the water main break,” said parent Jimmy Perrotti.

At 12:30 p.m. the kids were let out to waiting parents but a lot of the students were heading home to houses where there would be no water.

"I just filled a bunch of pots up with water and the tub up with water and the bathtub up with water for the toilets and if the kids have to shower we'll go down to my mother-in-law's house,” Perrotti said.

“We don't know how long it's going to last, so I think that's my biggest concern,” said parent Elizabeth Jacob.

While the kids can't be at school without water, maintenance staff will be there watching things like the sprinkler system. It could go off when the pressure gets low.

“I try to take a positive approach on it. It can always be worse so this is curve ball that was thrown at us and we are going to respond and adapt to it.  Communication right now is the key,” said Riverside Superintendent Paul Brennan.

In the Scranton School District, there's an even bigger impact. Six schools had an early dismissal and just like in Riverside, the superintendent will be monitoring the situation with the water to determine what happens with

There was an early dismissal at Kennedy Elementary School in South Scranton.

The same played out at McNichols, Whittier, Armstrong, Camelot and South Scranton Intermediate and at all of them, parents braced for no water.

“Not being able to shower, do your laundry, anything, cook,” said Gina Speranzo.

And they braced for uncertainty.

“I'm hoping this is a quick fix and they restore the water pipe and that they get things straightened out and get things fixed,” said grandparent Williard Hallock.

The school districts will be making their decision about Friday based on information they get from the water company.

Click here for a list of locations for water.

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