‘Significant’ sewage backup closes middle school, high school in Portland

A school in Portland was closed on Wednesday following a “significant” sewage backup.

Students at the Portland High School and Middle School — which share a building — were dismissed early on Tuesday when the backup occurred, which led to an odor throughout the entire complex, particularly on the high school side, Portland Public School officials said in a statement.

“Due to the unsanitary conditions, we dismissed students early and canceled all after-school activities …,” school officials said.

After initially believing school would not be affected on Wednesday, officials announced later in the evening that classes had been canceled for the day.

“Our facilities team is working closely with the sewer department and outside contractors to address the issue and thoroughly sanitize the building,” school officials said.

As of the morning hours, officials had not made a decision about after-school activities. A decision was expected in the early afternoon.

“We apologize for this disruption and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to address the problem,” the school district wrote.

https://www.courant.com/2025/10/08/significant-sewage-backup-closes-middle-school-high-school-in-portland/