Concerns have been raised after thousands of children were turned away from Fife schools due to dirty tap water.
Bill Brown, chairman of the Glenrothes area committee, said that it was “very worrying” that pupils were being turned away at school gates, with many returning to empty homes.
More than 2,000 youngsters were given an extended weekend on Monday after a dozen schools and nurseries were affected by dirty tap water and a lack of water pressure, caused by a mechanical fault at a local reservoir.
Though steps to inform parents were taken shortly after 8am, when the extent of the problems emerged, many pupils only learned that lessons were cancelled when they arrived at the school gates.
“I’m really concerned that this has happened,” said Mr Brown, who had Kinglassie Primary School and Kinglassie Nursery in his ward closed.
“What happens to all of those children when schools are suddenly closed?
“Who is looking after them when this happens?
“Kinglassie was the only one of my schools affected but to hear this has happened in other areas is very worrying.”
Several schools started announcing they would close shortly after 8am, as the Navitie Reservoir problem emerged.
Lochgelly High School was the largest to be affected, while five primary schools Kinglassie, St Ninian’s, Benarty, Cardenden and St Kenneth’s also had to turn away pupils.
Nurseries at Benarty, Cardenden, Dunmore, Kinglassie, St Kenneth’s and St Ninian’s also closed.
Scottish Water has said a faulty valve at the reservoir has now been repaired and that schools will reopen today.
Jacqui Hall, whose son is a pupil at Lochgelly High School, said: “My son is 16 so I wasn’t too worried about leaving him at home, but if he was younger or I didn’t work part-time then it could have been very difficult.”
Fife Council senior officer Neil Finnie said that the local authority did everything possible to inform parents once the extent of the problem emerged.
“We took steps to notify parents and families as soon as possible on Monday morning and will work with Scottish Water to reflect on the impact of this incident,” he said.