Valkyrie State School water crisis continues with further delay in information from Qld Education

“Feel like we’ve just been pushed aside”: A Central Queensland school community continues to wait for a state government report detailing a solution to its water crisis. The report was due back within four weeks, but it’s been two months and the students still don’t have answers.

Year 1 student Ari Michelmore at the water bubbler at Valkyrie State School. Photo: Tara Croser.

The Valkyrie State School community has grown “frustrated” after Queensland Education pushed back the release date of a report outlining how to get the school a permanent water supply, again.

Parents and P & C members met with an Education Department representative, a representative from QBuild and an independent engineer at the regional school, south west of Mackay on June 28 to discuss the school’s ongoing water issues from the lack of a permanent water supply.

What was originally expected to be a four week wait for the report to be handed down has turned into two months.

Valkyrie State School P & C President Kristen Michelmore said the school community felt “frustrated” and “fobbed off”.

“We feel like we’ve just been pushed aside,” she said.

“We’re waiting in the wings at the mercy of [Education Queensland] again.

“Enough time has passed. We’ve grown frustrated and tired of hearing the same thing over and over again and there’s still no solution to permanency of water.”

Kristen Michelmore with children Ivy, 8, and Ari, 6, who attend Valkyrie State School. Photo: Tara Croser.

The finalised report was pushed back to the end of Term 3, and has since been delayed further to the end of September, running into school holidays.

Ms Michelmore said there had been no communication from the Education Department on the delay, having to rely on media outlets to hear updates.

“We want clear open lines of communication,” she said.

“We just want a solution and we’re willing to work with all parties involved, but we need to be kept in the loop.

“We’ve had the conversation, now it’s time for acceptance on the department’s behalf that this is a crisis and engage in action towards a permanent solution.

“We entered into a process in good faith and were told a specific deadline and were very open with them to stick to that and now they’ve fobbed us off.

“We feel let down that once again children are at the centre of a bureaucratic issue.”

The new water tanks installed at Valkyrie State School.

Students are unable to play on the school oval due to the lack of grass and are restricted to a small grassed area the teachers and staff make an effort to keep watered using the limited potable water supply.

Ms Michelmore, who has two children at the school, said the lack of permanent water also took a toll on the students, who had to worry about water usage at home on the properties and at school.

“School is their safe place, and while they’re well adapt to understanding drought, when they go to school they need to be able to fill their water bottle without worrying about how much water they’re using.”

She said water was just one of the items regional schools had to fight for.

“The general feeling in regional areas is that the [education] department is trying to save costs in regional areas to spend in the city.

“How far does it have to go?

“We get robbed to give to them.

“We don’t have some of the basic necessities. It’s water, it’s [the lack of] reliable internet and safe sealed roads to travel on to school.

“Water is just one of those issues that gets overlooked.”

As warmer months approach, the department will continue trucking in water to the school through QBuild at no cost to the school until a solution is found.

Since March, the department has spent almost $175,000 on water supply solutions and investigations, including $8661 for water deliveries.

The 250,000L water tank purchased by the P & C.

The department has installed three new water tanks, and guttering and downpipes upgrades or replacements where required to maximise the rainwater capture at the school.

The department has also installed and run pipes to a further 250,000L tank purchased by the P & C, and “have promised to fill it as a one off”, with it to be partially filled this week.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said the health, safety and wellbeing of students and staff in Queensland state schools was their highest priority.

“Valkyrie State School does not have access to mains water supply, however the school uses rainwater tanks on site for all of its water needs,” she said.

“Discussions with Valkyrie State School regarding the best available long-term options for the school’s water supply needs are ongoing.

“The department engaged an independent engineer who met with the school and relevant stakeholders to gain a full understanding of the school’s water infrastructure and ongoing requirements.

“The final report is expected to be received in late September 2021.”

Originally published as Valkyrie State School water crisis continues with further delay in information from Qld Education