North's Hot Water Back On

Maintenance workers were to restore hot water to a North House building this morning, repairing an off-season heating system installed last year which may have caused erratic water temperatures throughout the Quad.

Students in North and Currier Houses said their dorms have been plagued by cold water for the last two years whenever the new gas heating system was in operation. The unit operates roughly from May to October each year, depending on the weather.

Robert L. Mortimer, facilities manager for the Faculty, said yesterday that problems with the new system may have been caused by valve disfunctions, although Buildings and Grounds workers could not be reached for comment on their several days of repairs to North House's Holmes building.

Residents of Holmes and Comstock, another North building, said recently they have not had a hot shower since returning to school in September.

"Under the best of circumstances it's lukewarm, and under the worst, it's freezing," said Seth Silbert '85. "It's consistently inconsistent.

The gas heating system, which replaces oil burner units during warm months, saves the University approximately $50,000 in oil costs each year, said Michel Lachten, energy coordinator for the Faculty