Editor's note: The following is information provided by Wayne State College in connection with a number of water issues the college has dealt with in recent weeks. This information was provided to all students and staff as classes resumed this week.
"Welcome back to campus. I hope you all had a restful break and had the opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends. As we begin the semester, I wanted to provide our campus community with information regarding some unfortunate incidents that occurred in late December and acknowledge the work of the campus community in handling each situation," said WSC President Dr. Marysz Rames.
"Winter weather challenges on campus due to high winds and subzero temperatures prior to Christmas led to frozen and broken pipes and property damage in various buildings. Water line breaks began on Dec. 22 in the attic of Berry Hall, struck again at the College Center in South Sioux City on Dec. 24, hit Gardner Hall and Carhart Science on Dec. 25, struck Anderson Hall on Dec. 26, and hit Carhart Science again on Dec. 27," Dr. Rames said.
Here is the summary of each of the water line breaks that occurred during December:
Dec. 22: A water line break in the attic of the west wing of Berry Hall resulted in water running down onto the floors below. Damages included insulation in the attic, ceiling tiles, mattresses in some student rooms, and some student property. Another small break occurred at the radiant heater in the north vestibule, resulting in wet carpet on the main level and wet tile flooring and furniture on the lower level.
Dec. 24: A fire sprinkler line break at the College Center building on Christmas Eve resulted in water damage to ceiling tiles and drywall. Water lines to the building were turned off and a contractor was called to repair the line.
Dec. 25: Christmas Day brought a hydrant break inside the wall cavity at Gardner Hall, with minimal water in the building and minimal damage. A fire sprinkler line also broke on Dec. 25 in Carhart Science Building. This incident occurred near the southwest entrance which resulted in water damage on the first and ground floors. Ceiling tiles, carpet, drywall, electrical, elevator, and fire alarm devices were all affected by this event.
Dec. 26: The most significant water line break occurred on this date in Anderson Hall. Pipes broke in at least eight locations in the attic of Anderson Hall. This resulted in widespread water damage in the attic and all four student living floors. Water damage included wet insulation in the attic, damaged ceiling tiles, wet mattresses, and furniture. Student property was also affected. The College contracted with ServPro for cleanup and restoration. ServPro arrived on site that same day to assess and start a more thorough cleaning and recovery.
As work progressed in Anderson Hall late last week, the situation on the third floor of the building made clear the need to move the residents from that floor to either another floor in the hall or to another residence hall. Students were notified via phone calls to those living on the third floor and via email for the remainder of the building.
Shutting down the third floor of Anderson Hall for the spring 2023 semester will provide continued access to the attic and affected areas for ServPro contractors. The basement, first, and second floors have been cleaned, restored, and sanitized. Students’ belongings have been cleaned if they were affected by water and have been returned to their rooms.
Unfortunately, some items have been declared non-salvageable by the contractor. These items are available for the students to inspect. Finally, the logistics associated with this effort were complex. We continue to work with students to locate any items that have not been returned to their rooms. If students have questions about their belongings, they should work with the Office of Residence Life at 402-375-7318 or heacton1@wsc.edu.
Anderson Hall residents who were moved to a new hall or a new room in Anderson will receive a 25 percent discount on the new room for the spring 2023 semester (based on the price for that particular hall). Those residents who remain in Anderson in their original assigned room also will receive a 10 percent discount on their room rate for the spring 2023 semester.
Dec. 27: A water line leading to a sink on the second floor of the Carhart Science building broke in at least three locations. This resulted in water damage on the second, first, and ground floors.
"In each instance, Wayne State’s incredible Facilities Services crews, Network and Technology Services workers, Carhart Science faculty, Residence Life and Housing personnel, and Campus Security officers met the situation head on by directly working to remove water from affected areas, restore water service, preserve College and student property, repair network access, communicate with affected students, and secure the buildings. I want to personally thank each of these committed WSC employees who rallied during the intense cold over the holidays. Your work made a difference," Dr. Rames said.
Wayne State employees and contractors continue to work to fully restore affected areas on campus. I will provide additional details to campus as needed to keep you up to date on our progress.
