Tenants frustrated after water cut off during repairs at NYCHA complex in Queens
ASTORIA, Queens (WABC) -- Tenants at a NYCHA complex in Queens expressed their displeasure after their water was cut off for repairs during a long, hot day.
A rainy Monday was made even more frustrating for the residents at the Ravenswood Houses, where indoor plumbing went dry.
Shirley Harrison's toilet needed water dumped into it in order to flush, and the shower was not an option.
"I almost fell carrying the water. I'm just upset about the whole situation," said Harrison, a tenant at the NYCHA complex.
Eyewitness News reporter Lucy Yang was told the water went out around 10 a.m. on Monday. It was a very unpleasant surprise for the many tenants of building one in Astoria.
For many, hauling water is not an option. Many are elderly or disabled. Krisandra Hill is seven months pregnant.
"It's crazy. You can't drink nothing, can't cook, use the bathroom, can't flush the toilet," Hill said.
Sylvia Rivera cares for her elderly mother and could not keep running back and forth to the hydrant, which has been outfitted with four faucets. So, she double bagged her hamper, put it in her shopping cart and basically engineered an impromptu, portable water tank.
Rivera says it's very upsetting.
NYCHA had plumbers working on the boiler Monday, which necessitated the shut off. Thankfully, cold water was restored by nightfall, but hot water would take longer.
Notices should have been put up 72 hours in advance. Whether it was taken down or never posted, residents complain they had no idea why their faucets went dry or how long the drought would last.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
