Japanese middle school hit with 25,000 euro water bill for its swimming pool following a teacher left the tap running for more than two months, thinking it would help prevent infections to Covid-19.
The teacher responsible for managing the basin of this establishment in Yokosuka (south of Tokyo) thus left the floodgates open from the end of June to the beginning of September last, including during school holidays.
While the chlorine and the filtration system in principle preserve the quality of the water, the teacher “got it into his head that a continuous supply of water would also accomplish this task and even help protect once morest Covid”, Akira Kojiri, a local rectorate official, told AFP.
4000 cubic meters of water
On several occasions, other staff noticed that the water was running and turned off the tap, but the teacher turned it on each time, resulting in an estimated consumption of more than 4,000 cubic meters of water – enough to fill the pool 11 times.
The teacher, whose name has not been made public, and two of his officials have been asked by the Yokosuka municipality to reimburse half of the bill.
“We would like to present our most sincere apologies to the inhabitants for the damage suffered,” the municipality said in a press release.
Japanese middle school hit with $25,000 water bill for swimming pool following teacher left tap on for more than two months
AFP
