Can the puddles on Malvern’s campus be stopped?

For the past few years, students have had to walk through big puddles during big rainstorms or harm the grass around them.

“It’s actually really annoying because you can’t avoid them,” freshman Aidan Harty said.

“We certainly are aware of the puddles.” said Mr. Jeff Kinney, Director of Facilities Management.

New drainage was installed this summer to replace the old drainage grates in front of the Duffy Arts Building. “The problem is that the mulch from right next to there is washed down, clogging the pipe,” Kinney said.

Kinney described this installation as “preventative maintenance.”

“It’s not an overnight thing,” he said. “We have to make sure it is not clogged up during big rains. It’s a long term process.”

Kinney said that two drains are connected underneath with a pipe, and they release at St. Rita’s. There is also a release pool on the outside of the ring road.

“Down by the Learning Commons there is a ditch that we have to dig out,” Kinney said.

Kinney said it would be cost effective to put drains in other parts of campus, but said the pipes all have to lead downward.

Kinney said that the maintenance staff does their best work to make sure everything works smoothly and that the campus is safe for students.

“We have priorities and other things to work on,” he said, “but we are well aware of the [drainage] issue and have been working to fix it.”

Kinney has noted that students often avoid the puddles by walking through the grass. “You know how much they love the grass here,” Kinney said. “They make sure no one is parking or walking on the grass.”

Students have noticed some improvements after last summer’s work. “The puddles were a huge pain, but now I can get around them easier,” freshman Matt Lamond said.