ANN ARBOR – Classes and before-and-after school programs at Skyline High School have been canceled for Tuesday after a neon green liquid was discovered oozing into the school’s parking lot this past weekend.
Ann Arbor Public Schools officials have said that a leak in one of the geothermal lines caused the liquid, deemed to be ethylene glycol, to bubble into the parking lot.
“A leak in the geothermal system at Skyline High School, discovered over this weekend, has been temporarily repaired,” wrote Ann Arbor Public Schools superintendent Jeanice K. Swift in an update.
The line started leaking on Friday evening but has since been temporarily repaired.
“A permanent repair will be necessary that will require the installation of a temporary generator system to provide air conditioning to the Skyline building during the time of the repair. We anticipate the temporary generator to be installed and look forward to welcoming students and staff back to resume classes and activities on Wednesday, September 7,” wrote Swift.
On the neighborhood social media platform Nextdoor, concerned parents shared ways of bringing attention to the liquid, including reaching out to the school’s administration and to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
In her update, Swift added that spill materials were used to direct liquid into a storm drain.
“The glycol that did flow into the storm drain was minimal and did not make it off site. Vigorous mitigation activities will be utilized to continue to prioritize health and safety. We will provide a detailed report to EGLE once all mitigation activities are completed, and will share the full report with our Skyline, AAPS and Ann Arbor community,” she said.
Check out this video of the ooze: