Park Ridge Apartments in hot water
Gas leaks cause residents to shower in cold water, seek other bathing options

By Alisha Brown
Skiff Staff

TCU student Morgan Epps has had to take one too many cold showers this week. Epps, a junior radio-TV-film and business major, and the other residents of the Park Ridge Apartments have been without the luxury of hot water for seven days and counting.

“It’s like ice water,” Epps said. “I haven’t bathed today.”

Yvette Herrera Features Editor A maintenance worker at the Park Ridge Apartments works to find a natural gas leak that has caused hundreds of residents to go without hot water for more than a week.

On Jan. 22, Park Ridge Apartment officials found a leak in the 3,000-foot natural gas line which generates energy for the water heaters for a section of the complex, said Jeff Hacker, general council for BNC Real Estate, Park Ridge’s corporate managers. A notice was posted on 348 apartment doors letting residents know the hot water would be turned off the next day.

The first notice did not tell residents the reasons for the shutdown.

“If there was any danger to anyone in any area, we shut it down,” Hacker said. “As is basically required, you cut off the gas to the areas to avoid any major problems, like an explosion.”

The problem was thought to be small and easily corrected, he said. However, three separate leaks were found, which meant more cold showers for residents.

Another notice was posted thanking residents for their patience and further explaining the situation.

The leaks were repaired in a few days, but when the gas was turned back on, there was no pressure in the line, Hacker said.

“There’s another leak but we don’t know where it is,” Hacker said.

As of Thursday, a decision was made to reconstruct the entire gas system, he said.

“We’ve got crews out there digging right now,” Hacker said. “The gas may be off for another two days or it might be longer. Everyone understands the urgency of this situation.”

So what originally was going to be one day without hot water has turned into a week. A third notice warned residents that the hot water may be out for another seven to 10 days.

TCU students who live in the apartments have had to resort to showering at friend’s apartments, boiling hot water, taking cold showers or not showering at all.

Roommates Kristen Lawrence, a junior speech pathology major, and Erica Schweer, a junior ballet and modern dance major, said they have been driving to their friends’ apartment in Oak Hill to bathe.

“They pay for their hot water,” Lawrence said. “So it’s an inconvenience for them too. We have to come over when they’re home and not at work or school.”

Lawrence said there are five people showering there every day.

But not everyone has friends outside of Park Ridge with showers they can use.

The complex is split into two parts. Of the 565 apartments, 217 have electric water heaters, and six of those are unoccupied, apartment manager Donna Butler said. Residents can get a key from the office and use one of the showers in those apartments 24 hours a day. When the office is not open, the gatekeepers have the keys.

Junior psychology major Jason Helstrum has used the showers from the unoccupied apartments, but he said it is an inconvenience just the same.

“I didn’t come here to live in the dorms,” he said. “If there’s a long line, I have to boil water. I fill up the bathtub halfway with cold water and put the hot water on top of it. It’s an hour long process.”

Butler said she is concerned and understands, but the situation is out of her control.

“I live here too,” she said. “I’m eating off paper plates because I can’t wash dishes. It takes a leap of faith to wash my face in the morning because it’s so cold.”

The problem is being dealt with as quickly as possible, Hacker said, with the safety of the residents being the first priority.

But when it comes time to pay rent, no decision has been made on whether any compensation or deduction will be offered, Hacker said.

Hot water is the only utility that Park Ridge is responsible for providing, Butler said. Heating, electric and phone utilities are handled by individual residents.

Helstrum said he would like reduced rent but does not expect it. Other residents are not as understanding.

“I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not paying for rent,” Lawrence said. “I worked really hard this summer to be able to move out and be on my own. We pay rent, and we want hot water.”

Alisha Brown
a.k.brown@student.tcu.edu