Gas well capped at school construction site
Monday, June 30, 2008
An abandoned gas well was discovered during the grading process leading to the construction of the new Eudora Elementary School southwest of the intersection of 10th and Peach streets in Eudora. No gas was detected in or near the well, using the most modern detection technology available.
The Kansas Corporation Commission led remediation efforts, which included a 250-foot concrete cap that was installed on top of the well. Monitoring and ventilation systems will be included in the new school so that if gas is ever found to be permeating the concrete cap, it will be ventilated to the outside of the school building. The sensor that will be used is at least twice as sensitive as is required for safety.
“We consulted with many independent and well-respected experts to find a solution that will ensure the safety and health of our students and staff when the new elementary school opens,” said Don Grosdidier, incoming superintendent of schools. “From the concrete cap to the monitoring and ventilation systems, our plan far exceeds basic requirements for remediation and affirms that the well being of our people is always the top priority.”
A fact sheet with more details about the discovery of the well and the resulting actions by the district can be downloaded here.
Eudora Elementary School will accommodate all students in first through fifth grades and was the flagship project on the $45 million bond district voters approved in November 2007. Since the official groundbreaking ceremony in March, construction is now underway on the facility; the school is designed to house as many as 200 students per grade when it opens in 2009. For more information on the Eudora Elementary School plans, or for details about the other projects, visit the bond section of the district Web site.
