North courtyard water infiltration prompts drain camera check; Newport Water plans new looped service

An investigation at the elementary school north courtyard found water infiltrating a tunnel area and into a beam pocket, prompting the building committee on Aug. 13 to request an in‑field drainage investigation and a camera inspection of drain lines.

Colliers and Bentley reported excavation in the courtyard and said Bentley has requested pricing from a subcontractor to regrade the area and relocate downspouts away from the building. ‘‘There are area drains inside the courtyard that the water is being diverted to,’’ a project manager said, while noting the team had not yet confirmed how the existing downspouts connect to that drain system.

Committee members asked public works to confirm drain line routing and whether the town can scope the lines with a camera truck; a building committee member said he was texting public works during the meeting to check availability. The committee agreed to hold action until public works reports back, but asked the design team to develop pricing and short‑term mitigation that could be completed during a school break or weekend.

Why it matters: water entering structural tunnels can cause localized damage and may require repair or regrading ahead of landscaping or reuse of the courtyard.

Separate but related: the design team reported progress on a negotiated option with Newport Water to replace the existing domestic water service and add a new fire service, creating a service loop off Wabasa (Wobasa) street. Newport Water will provide equipment and install a new service line; Valley Road would become the property of Newport Water under a new easement as part of the work. The team said the new domestic and fire service could negate some of the elementary school repairs previously identified because the building’s supply and fire suppression piping would be replaced as part of the service work.

Other items: the team said it is continuing to prepare the CHIPS submission for reimbursement and that the filing route for CHIPS remains to be determined; the design and construction team is working under the assumption that reimbursement will not be negatively affected by the work. The committee emphasized reimbursement and asked staff to ensure any filing route preserves eligibility for funding.

Next steps: public works will be asked to confirm scope and camera capability; Bentley will provide pricing for regrading and downspout relocation; the committee will await the town’s input and then make a field decision before the next building committee meeting.