Residents in apartments in Alexandria, Virginia, woke up Thursday to their third day without water and air conditioning because of a water main break.
The main broke on Tuesday morning at the London Park Towers property in the 5300 block of Duke Street, according to the Alexandria Office of Emergency Management. The property has three buildings and 458 units.
Virginia American Water said the outage is due to breaks on the apartments' private water service line. No other customers are affected.
“Even though it is not a Virginia American Water line, our team has been working to assist the owner as they make repairs and has offered to help with providing an alternate source for drinking water,” Virginia American Water said.
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Power is on in the buildings, but residents said they are tired and frustrated. They haven't been able to use running water to brush their teeth, wash clothes or take a shower since Tuesday morning.
Video shows desperate people using water flowing from a fire hydrant to fill up containers and buckets. One resident said they used a trash bag so they could have some water for their kitchen and bathroom.
A resident who lives in the apartment complex with his wife and six kids, two of whom have asthma, described the experience.
“Three days there is no AC, there is no water. [...] It looks like technically we are like in a battlefield," he said.
Raymond Collazo, who has lived at the apartment for 25 years, said has never experienced anything like this.
“I see they’re trying to do as much as they can, but I know they can do a little bit better," Collazo said. "Because we do have older people in the building, that I don't think they've come out, so they haven't really checked on everybody else.”
He and other residents have been relying on family and friends who live nearby to access showers.
DASH buses have been provided from Paxton Street to the nearby Patrick Henry Recreation Center for residents to use the restroom.
Volunteers were on site providing bottled water from the building’s management, and Virginia American Water provided a water tank with drinking water.
Alexandria’s Deputy City Manager Yon Lambert visited the property and addressed water bill concerns.
“They should not receive an excessive bill because of this event, for sure. And, if residents have consumer concerns, the city is also available to assist," Lambert said.
According to a note News4 found posted outside the complex, contractors do not know when the extensive underground repairs will be completed. Crews worked overnight Wednesday to fix the break but estimates on when water will be restored have not been released.
Kay Apartment Communities, which manages the property, issued a precautionary boil water advisory Thursday. The advisory will remain in effect until Virginia American Water completes water testing.
According to the advisory residents are encouraged to do the following:
- Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, beverage and food preparation, making ice and hygiene needs.
- Bring all tap water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute and then let it cool before using.
News4 reached out to the property manager for comment.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.
