Providence residents frustrated by lack of consistent hot water: ‘Treating us like animals’
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Dozens of residents living at Providence’s Manton Heights are sounding the alarm after not having consistent hot water for more than a year.
by: Sarah Bawden, Alex Torres-Perez
Johanny Dizoglio said she and her neighbors have been forced to boil their water or shower elsewhere.
“I shouldn’t be doing that,” Dizoglio said. “I should be able to come home and take a decent shower in my house.”
Manton Heights residents told 12 News that, although management is aware of the issue, nothing has been done.
“They’re treating us like animals,” Kevin Cruz said. “Every time we call, they say, ‘Oh yeah. You are the first person to call.’ That is a lie.”
“We pay rent,” Mariel Soriano added. “We don’t live for free in here, so they have to respect us.”
The Providence Housing Authority confirms that it has received reports of hot water issues at Manton Heights dating back to last winter, but stressed that each one was rectified with minimal interruptions.
Melissa Sanzaro, executive director of the Providence Housing Authority, told 12 News she shares residents’ frustrations, especially since Manton Heights has two newer hot water boilers.
Sanzaro said the housing authority started working with an engineer in January to come up with a long-term solution to the problem.
The housing authority installed a portable boiler to generate hot water for residents in the meantime. But unfortunately, Sanzaro said the temporary boiler started having issues earlier this week.
Providence City Councilor Miguel Sanchez said technicians spent the bulk of Thursday fixing the temporary boiler and are now heating up nearly 4,000 gallons of water.
Sanzaro said Manton Heights’ 330 units should have access to hot water as soon as Friday morning.
“When something so basic, but also so important, is taken away from residents, it should definitely raise alarms,” Sanchez said.
Though Sanzaro stressed that fixing the boiler is the Providence Housing Authority’s top priority, residents aren’t so sure.
“We need this problem fixed and we need answers,” Dizoglio said. “The fact that this has continued for over a year shows me that they don’t care.”
It’s unclear at this time when Manton Heights residents will see a permanent solution to their hot water issues. Sanzaro said the Providence Housing Authority will be meeting with their engineers and a vendor next week to create an immediate action plan.
Sanchez encouraged residents to reach out to him specifically if the hot water issues persist.
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