Campus Update, May 4
Parts of Nashville have been devastated by recent floods, and many people have lost their homes and livelihoods. We are grateful that Belmont’s campus has escaped the worst of these destructive storms, but we are experiencing a series of inconveniences that have occurred since our last communication yesterday. These include interruptions in power, water pressure and air conditioning at some locations across campus.
The health and safety of Belmont students continues to be our highest concern and has not been compromised at this time. Nashville’s water supply is currently safe for drinking, and we remain in contact with city officials about the condition of the water supply. Here’s an update on each of the issues Belmont is now working on:
Water
Campus is experiencing water pressure problems. The source of the problem is in the Metro Water services system, and we’re working with them to address this issue. However, in the meantime, the campus community is asked to follow these guidelines when flushing campus toilets. 1) Only use restrooms on the lowest level of any building you are in. 2) If you are using a flush-valve system (i.e. one where a tank is not present), activate the lever and hold it for several seconds three times to maximize the ability of the water to flush. If in a residence hall or apartment with a tank toilet, please allow plenty of time for the tank to re-fill before flushing again. 3) Finally, please remember that all of Davidson County is being asked by Mayor Karl Dean to use only half of their normal water consumption due to the flooding of a water treatment plant that services Nashville.
Air
The lack of water pressure is also affecting air conditioning Jack and Barbara Massey, Freeman, Fidelity, Maple, Wheeler, Hitch and the library. Though air handlers are continuing to circulate air, they are not cooling these buildings.
Power
Since yesterday’s restoration of power across campus, there have been scattered interruptions in power service have emerged and are being addressed.
Campus officials are continuing to monitor the situation and will update the Belmont community later today with any new developments. Please keep in mind that Nashville is experiencing a disaster of unprecedented proportions. This situation is changing on an hourly basis, and Belmont is working hand-in-hand with Metro officials to stay on top of the issues as they arise. While our campus is certainly facing certain inconveniences at the moment, Belmont’s campus is safe. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we all do our best to recover from the floods.
