A clogged pipe connected to the third-floor Dining Hall dishwasher created a leak that spanned from Point Cafe to the second-floor stairwell in Lawrence Hall, according to Chris Hill, vice president of operations for the Physical Plant.  

The leak started in late October and was not fixed until this month. The main stairway to the second floor in Lawrence lobby remained closed until the leak was fixed. 

“There’s stuff that will go down the drain, and they just clog because of the pipes,” Hill said. “Just like when you get a clogged pipe at home.”  

The clogged pipe caused water to run down to the second floor, causing damage to both the cafe and the staircase leading up to the second floor.  

“We replaced the pipe, but because of that, water came down to the second floor,” Hill said. 

The pipe has since been replaced, and repairs to the cafe ceiling began as of Nov.14. Repairs for the staircase will occur during Thanksgiving break because workers will need to use scaffolding to repair the damage. 

While the repairs are now underway, some said they were upset about the situation.  

Lindsay Simmons, a sophomore criminal justice major, saw the leak at the cafe.  

“I just think it’s insane how they just put a bucket or a big type of thing under it and then just leave it there if it is a huge issue,” Simmons said.  

Before the pipe was replaced, paper plates were being used in the Dining Hall instead of the normal plates. This was most likely due to the clog impacting the dishwasher.  

“My first thought when it comes to that is we are paying all this money for paper plates and stuff,” Simmons said.  

Students were not the only ones who were impacted by the leak, as staff who work at Point Cafe were also affected by it. Water from the leak created a puddle on the floor next to the checkout area as well as  where students enter and exit Point Cafe.  

“Working with water around me was very hectic,” a Point Cafe employee said.  “It was pretty inconvenient because there was a lot of kids, because this is a school.”  

The employee also said that the water had a foul smell. 

The issue in the cafe took about a week and a half to fix and clean up. 

“It should have never taken that long, but I’m glad that it is fixed,” the employee said. 

Lawrence Hall isn’t the only building on campus experiencing leaks. Thayer Hall, which primarily houses first-year students, has a leak in the male restroom on floor three. Tristan Rose, a first-year general psychology student, said that he was using the accessible restroom when he felt a drop of water on his head that made his hair wet.  

“I keep checking in on it, and it seems like the hole is getting bigger,” Rose said. “I’m starting to worry that it is something more intensive going on than just a simple leakage.”  

Rose put a work order in but hasn’t heard anything back yet. Rose said that he feels as though necessary maintenance is being put off.  

“It happens, especially with older buildings, but with how long it seems to be taking it just feels like nothing is getting done,” Rose said. 

Thayer Hall and Academic Hall were both built in the 1930s, while Lawrence Hall was built in the late 1920s as an athletic club.

There are roughly 10 maintenance people that can respond to service calls at a time.