DENVER — A burst pipe at the Welton Park apartments shut down the building's running water last Monday. Cold water has since returned, but residents remain frustrated since their showers and hot water are still unavailable.
For nearly a week, residents have been unable to wash dishes, take showers, or even use the bathroom in their own apartments. Instead, they have to use one of the portable restrooms that were brought in by apartment management.
To take showers, they must go to a neighboring building, which is also part of the same apartment complex. Tenants have also been using an outdoor water hose at the neighboring building to fill up buckets or jugs of water to bring back to their apartments.
"This is Colorado, it's still snowing every other day here," said Charlotte Cornish, a resident at the Welton Park Apartments.
Cornish showed Denver7 emails from management, which promised the return of running water on Tuesday and Thursday, but the water didn't return until Saturday afternoon. Although appreciative of management efforts, Cornish is still unable to use her shower or warm water and is growing frustrated by the delays.
"They are working their tails off to make sure that we get our water back," said Cornish. "But they're working on a system that's working against them because it wasn't built properly in the first place.”
In the meantime, corporate owner Greystar issued hotel vouchers to elderly residents and those with disabilities. However, the vouchers are only valid through Sunday morning and residents told us they were informed by management that hot water wouldn't be back until Wednesday night.
"I have to be out tomorrow," said Lynn Eagle Feather, a resident at the Welton Park apartments.
Eagle Feather has two disabilities and is one of the residents who received a hotel voucher. For the past week, she's had to boil water from hoses to clean her apartment.
A resident at Welton Park for eight years, Eagle Feather said they've experienced burst pipes before, but never to this extent.
"It will happen again," said Eagle Feather. "Right now this place just feels uninhabitable."
Denver7 spoke to management at the scene who informed us that they were working to return warm water to the building. We reached out to Greystar for more information, but have yet to hear back.
