Heat has been restored to three of the five buildings that were impacted on Tuesday, Nov. 15, due to a leaking water pipe in front of Cafe Camino.
Steve Duzich, the systems lead at El Camino College, said a pipe at a connecting point that heats the Administration, Humanities, Chemistry, Physics and Schauerman Library Buildings began leaking.
This affected the heat flow to those buildings causing the college to temporarily shut off the heat on Tuesday. The heat for the buildings was restored Wednesday except for the library and Administration Building.
“The Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez has checked in with the deans of the affected areas to keep in touch and make sure that everyone is taken care of on campus,” Dean of Natural Sciences Amy Grant said.
Those in the affected buildings can request space heaters from the Facilities Planning and Services Division on a first come first serve basis, according to an email sent to the college by Assistant Director of Facilities Robert Brobst.
A request for 10 heaters was put in by Humanities Division clerical clerk Helen Wada, who was adorned in several layers and wrapped in a blanket when speaking with The Union. Wada said earlier in the day, she could not feel the low temperatures, but as time went on it got colder.
Humanities Dean Scott Kushigemachi said the request was made to make sure the building is prepared.
“I personally don’t feel a difference now, [I’m] not feeling it too dramatically yet,” Kushigemachi said.
However, the library has felt a greater impact from the leak as staff said they have been dealing with heat issues for the last two and a half months due to a separate maintenance issue.
Library and learning resources specialist Michele Whiting said the leak made the lack of heat worse.
“Space heaters were not allowed, because from what I understand, they tripped the fuse boxes,” Whiting said. “So now that it seemed to be affecting other buildings and the main building, the Administration Building, now today was the first time something came out saying ‘put a work order for a space heater.’ ”
The library’s most affected areas are the spaces in which staff work and students lounge, including the Quiet Commons Room, Research Center, Makers Space and the West Reading Room.
“We have offices that feel like a meat locker,” Whiting said.
Students interviewed by The Union seemed unfazed by the lack of heating in the affected buildings.
Some said they were not even aware there was a problem with the heating. Emily Beltrom, who was in the Quiet Commons Room, said the temperature was fine and she was unbothered by the cold.
Library and learning resource specialist Erika Yates said most students are ready when it comes to the cold.
“The thing is, most of our students know to bring extra layers with them when they come to the library, especially if they like to study in the cold areas,” Yates said.
