The Student News Site of University of Arizona

The Daily Wildcat

75° Tucson, AZ

The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

“UA, city recover from cold snap”

Record+low+temperatures+Wednesday+night+were+likely+the+cause+of+this+burst+water+pipe+on+the+outside+of+a+house+on+6th+Street.++Many+people+in+Tucson+awoke+to+water+and+other+utility+service+problems+Thursday+morning+as+a+result+of+the+cold.
Record low temperatures Wednesday night were likely the cause of this burst water pipe on the outside of a house on 6th Street. Many people in Tucson awoke to water and other utility service problems Thursday morning as a result of the cold.

The UA and Tucson continue the return to normalcy following complications from last week’s cold weather.

Tucson Water said that regular service has returned to the 1,400 homes that lost their utilities on Thursday and Friday.

Some houses are still without water, due to individual plumbing issues, not problems with the municipal water service, according to a press release from Tucson Water Spokesman Fernando Molina.  

The 18-degree low on Friday was one degree warmer than the coldest February temperature in Tucson’s recorded history, which was Feb. 7, 1899.

Both Thursday and Friday set new record lows for those days.  

Tucson Fire Department officials said at least two people died seemingly as a result of the frigid weather.

At the UA, some buildings continue to suffer from water and heating issues.

“”We probably had 20 buildings that were affected that had no water yesterday (Friday),”” said Chris Kopach, director of Facilities Management.

More than 100 employees, pulled from all areas of Facilities Management, have been “”all over the place”” working to restore the campus, according to Kopach.

“”They all worked as one good team,”” Kopach said.

Water has been restored to all buildings on campus, though crews will need to continue to work in order to repair broken pipes and water lines.

Facilities Management worked with Southwest Gas Corporation and now the gas pressure is up and running. Heat has been restored to most buildings but a few, such as Slonaker House, are still having problems.

Repairs are being prioritized and “”everything is safe,”” Kopach said.

The UA has yet to release a statement regarding the damage caused by the rupturing water pipes around campus, but these issues are not expected to interrupt the UA’s class schedule for the week.

Luke Money contributed reporting to this story.

More to Discover
Activate Search