Sometimes, all on its own, the water just stops. But even when it comes back on in Zulay Sanchez's NYCHA apartment, it's just a trickle.
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She says she spends the whole day just managing her water.
With the trickle of water she does get, Sanchez slowly fills up everything she can find - buckets in the shower, pretzel jars and orange juice contaners in the kitchen, because the pressure isn't enough to cook or shower.
On Thanksgiving the water pressure problem was so bad she couldn't even finish cooking dinner. She gave up and the family had to go a relative's home.
All of the apartments in the building above the 10th or 11th floor have problems, as NYCHA can't get the water up that high.
"These are families with children, seniors, people who work hard all day, have to come home and can't even bathe," said District Leader Daisy Paez.
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4-year-old Janelle has had exactly one shower in her life, back in August.
"When she saw the shower head was coming up she was like, 'Mommy I'm in the sprinklers, oh my God this is so much fun'. I felt so bad," Sanchez said.
She says she has called NYCHA but nothing ever gets done.
After Eyewitness News called Tuesday night, signs went up in the lobby and NYCHA told us they will have plumbers on site Wednesday to locate and repair the problem.
Sanchez says it's about time. "I can't live like this, it's really uncomfortable," she said.
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UPDATE:
Water is now flowing again for residents. NYCHA officials said Wednesday that the water pressure is not completely restored in the entire building, but expect all residents to be back to normal by the end of the week.
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