Icy Water Chills Currier House

Maintenance will be turning up the heat in Currier House soon when it fixes a deteriorating water valve that has chilled the water supply for over a month.

The mixing-valve, which regulates temperature, has worked only erratically over the past month, and residents have often been left without hot water.

House residents feel the chilly water most often early in the morning.

"Around 8:30 [a.m.], it's hard to get hot water," James T. Kalyvas '99 said.

Not all residents have suffered from the valve problem, as the water temperature generally varies by time of day.

"If I take a shower in the middle of the day, there's generally hot water," Stefan G. Karpinski '99 said.

Some houses, like Cabot, have backup water systems, but Currier has waited two weeks for a replacement to arrive. The valve will be replaced tomorrow night.

The valve is part of a twenty-year old system, and its ability to mix hot and cold water accurately has slowly diminished over time.

"Just like in any home, things have to be replaced from time to time," said Philip W. Bisaga, mechanical maintenance manager for the Office of Physical Resources.

Gene G. Ketelhohn, Cabot House Superintendent, speculated that natural factors might be responsible for the pipe's decay.

"The corrosives in the city water just eventually get to these systems," Ketelhohn said.

In the last four years, the college has undertaken a program to upgrade all water systems. A new facility, located in Canaday and serving all of the Yard, was installed three years ago.

According to Bisaga, an upgrade of facilities in the River houses is nearing completion, and then an upgrade of the Quad facilities will begin.