SALT LAKE CITY — A large Dumpster full of wet carpet sat outside the front door of Montessori Community School on Monday, and the drone of industrial fans rose from the school's damp and disheveled basement.

The school was one of at least 35 structures with varying degrees of flood damage after a water pipeline became disconnected at 1700 South and Foothill Drive late Friday. An estimated 2.5 million gallons of "black water" — silt-heavy water on the same sanitary level as sewage — flowed down the south side of 1700 South.

The pressurized stream caused a "pretty massive hole" beneath Foothill Drive, which was repaired and reopened to traffic over the weekend, according to Salt Lake City spokesman Art Raymond. Repairs on 1700 South continued in areas where asphalt has lifted up.

Teachers and Utah Disaster Kleenup crews were carrying furniture from the school's basement to the upper level, where items could be cleaned and sanitized. A wood floor in a dance studio, carpet and a now-condemned boiler are just some of the items damaged, according to Britney Peterson, associate head of school.

Classes were canceled until Monday while teachers prepare temporary classrooms at the All Saints Episcopal Church nearby until repairs are complete. About 100 of the school's 215 students will be displaced, Peterson said.

"We're a private school so a lot of families count on us not just for the academic school day, but they use our before-school care and after-school care," she said.

Despite the chaos of cleanup in lieu of classwork, Peterson noted that many school officials and parents were in relatively high spirits.

"The sense of community outreach has been overwhelming and wonderful," she said. "We've had numerous texts, emails and Facebook messages (from) parents asking if they can come and help. On Saturday, we had a few families show up in their boots, wearing their gloves, ready to go."

Inspectors calculating the damage

All but one of the 18 houses affected by the flood had filed insurance claims Monday, and city officials began the process of inspecting and assessing the level of damage that each home received, Raymond said.

"We are insured for this," he said. "Part of the information that has been given to residents is kind of an outline of the process of filing claims. First, they have to file a claim with their property insurance carrier, and then we work with those insurers to figure out who's responsible for what."

Raymond said a damage estimate will become clear as adjusters continue to inspect each structure.

"Our biggest concern and priority is helping residents, and that's what we're engaged with right now," he said.

More than a block downhill from where the flood began, Leslie Leoncini's husband was watching TV in his basement Friday night when he heard a window break and saw muddy water flowing into the room. For the next seven or eight hours, he and his son carried the contents of the basement into the garage with the help of firefighters.

"We're fine," Leoncini said as she looked at her home of just more than a year. "We're just thankful that it didn't make it to the main floor. Our neighbor's house got 8 feet."

Leoncini says contractors are scheduled to begin repairing windows and Sheetrock by the weekend. In the meantime, furniture, decorations, entertainment equipment, family photos and art projects made by Leoncini's kids years ago are now coated with a layer of silt.

Leoncini says she's encouraged by the city's efforts to help, but she remains unsure whether damaged items will be compensated at replacement cost or depreciated value.

"I'm thinking it's at least $15,000 just in our personal belongings. So by the time they depreciate it, I don't know," she said. "It could always be worse. It's all fixable. It was the kids' stuff, all the things that I've kept, and pictures. That's what you can't replace."

Contributing: Ashley Kewish

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