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Students without water for weekend after water softener in Yakeley Hall fails

November 12, 2021
<p>Yakeley Hall photographed on Jan. 27, 2020. </p>

Yakeley Hall photographed on Jan. 27, 2020.

Photo by Lauren DeMay | The State News

The water softener system failed in Yakeley Hall last Friday evening, causing a mineral buildup that clogged some fixtures.
The water was turned off to make necessary repairs. Residents were without running water in the building from Friday evening until about Tuesday.

Each bathroom had to be fixed individually, so the repair process took a few days. Students walked to Gilchrist Hall to use the bathrooms, which is accessible through the building. On Wednesday, about 80% of the showers were back in operation and the final shower rooms were repaired Wednesday night around 5 p.m.

"I understand they're trying their best, but the water thing is kind of pushing me over the edge," parent of an MSU student Penny Thatcher said.

Thatcher said she and her child are frustrated with the amount of problems Yakeley Hall has faced through the semester, including the dining hall closures. Bethany Balks, Associate Communications Director of Residence Education and Housing Services, recognizes the struggles West Circle has faced.

"We're continuing to increase those service offerings as quickly as we can as we continue to heavily recruit and onboard staff," Balks said. "The older buildings, they sometimes do experience things like this, like a plumbing issue."

Thatcher said a few problems remain in the bathrooms, including some showerheads taped off and low water pressure. Balks had not heard of reports on these issues as of Thursday morning.

"They're not making it seem like it's a high priority," Thatcher said. "I don't know how many girls live in that dorm but obviously it's a decent amount. To leave them just kind of hanging over the weekend, I thought it would've been a priority to get somebody in there around the clock and get it fixed."

Balks encourages any students struggling with maintenance issues to submit a maintenance request or call the service center in Landon Hall to have them resolved.

"We appreciate how understanding (students) have been in this situation and we certainly hope to not have any additional experiences that bring students frustration," Balks said. "Our goal is to support their success and have a helpful, rewarding time while they're here with us on campus."

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