Repairs to the Jack Science Center could be complete by the end of the semester.

Water flooded the first floor of the building on Wednesday. It damaged carpets, walls and buckled the floor in some areas.

The damage forced the relocation of 62 class sections, eight faculty offices and some computer labs. Many of the classes were relocated to the National Energy Center of Excellence.

"Because of some space in the National Energy Center of Excellence that opened this fall, it had space that was not dedicated to other class sections," said Dave Clark, BSCexecutive vice president.

Carpet will be replaced, and new drywall will need to be put up where it was cut away to let the walls dry out. Clark estimates it could cost $150,000 to fix.

"Carpet replacement alone will be $60,000 to $70,000," he said.

Engineers are investigating the cause of the leak.

The damage also coincides with work on the aquatic center.

"A valve was opened up that was closed to facilitate the aquatic center project," Clark said.

The valve was opened to keep water service at the campus, he said. Water appeared in the Jack Science Center soon after this valve was opened, he said.

How the repairs will be paid will depend on talks with the city and whether it qualifies under the Fire and Tornado Fund of North Dakota, which provides insurance coverage to BSC.

"There are some exclusions in the policy," Clark said. "We don't know for sure if there is coverage. Obviously the repair has to be done."

The college hired a restoration company Wednesday evening to start on the clean up. Carpet was removed in some areas and lower sections of walls were cut out to help dry out and prevent mold from growing, Clark said.

Classes that were moved will continue in the relocated space until the end of the semester. An open computer lab was moved to another space in the Jack Science Center.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)