PINE GROVE — Valley High School went to remote learning Thursday and will remain there today due to water shortages in Pine Grove.

Drought conditions have been the culprit, officials said. The water that supplies the town is taken from Fishing Creek. Due to drought conditions, the creek’s level has dropped below Pine Grove’s water pump intakes. The only water left at this time is in the town storage tank and those levels are dropping fast.

Officials also said that broken lines and faulty telemetric equipment have contributed to the problem.

Wetzel County Schools Superintendent Cassie Porter said Valley isn’t closed, but classes are being provided to the school’s 130 students through remote classes. She added that sending Valley students temporarily to Short Line Elementary School was not an option.

“There is not enough room to house all the students,” she said. “There are 300 students at Short Line and not enough room to accommodate Valley’s 130.”

Porter said portable water tanks are an option, but that water would need to be transferred to the storage tank on the hill to provide pressure.

Wetzel County Public Service District No. 1’s water service is looking to provide help to the community, but any assistance will be difficult to provide in a timely manner.

A meeting was held recently to figure out immediate solutions, though Pine Grove has been experiencing water issues for a while.