Water fountain causes damage in Davis Library

Davis Library sustained water damage Sunday on several floors from what started as a leak in a third-floor water fountain.

Affected areas of the library are currently either taped off or enclosed in plastic sheeting, but the library is still operating normally.

Brandon Thomas, the communications director for Facilities Services, said the leak started when plastic tubing in the water fountain blew out.

The water, dripping from the third floor, seeped through the floor and walls all the way down to the basement level, said Judy Panitch, director of library communications.

A number of books were damaged, and library employees suspected possible carpeting and drywall damage.

The damage is restricted to the right-middle area of the building — from the perspective of someone entering the library — and furniture has been moved around to accommodate students despite the limited space.

Thomas said it is currently difficult to project both how much the repairs will cost and how long they will take.

“Once everything is dry, there will probably be a lot of replacement of sheetrock and taking care of wall damage,” he said.

AFTERDISASTER, an outside company, has been brought in to install industrial fans and dehumidifiers, Thomas added.

“We will probably have to pull up carpet so the floor can dry,” Panitch said. “There are some areas where the drywall will have to be pulled off and replaced.”

They will also be investigating any possible electrical damage in the area affected by the water and in the public computers.

The water-damaged books will need to be dried and pressed, but the books will be promptly returned to the shelves, Panitch said.

Thomas said maintenance and housekeeping responded very quickly.

In addition to mold control efforts, certain areas are currently restricted so the AFTERDISASTER crews can work.

“It’s a bit topsy-turvy in here, but the library is certainly open — it’s fairly impressive,” Panitch said.

Whitlee Angel, a sophomore biology major, said she has been doing more of her studying than usual in the Student Union because of the repairs, but that she would continue to go to Davis since it is still relatively quiet.

“I’m not too worried about long-term damage,” she said.

“Not being able to come and study if they don’t get it fixed right the first time or because of mold could be a problem.”

Claire Crawford, a freshman education major, said she hasn’t been affected by the flood much and is confident that the problem will be fixed.

“Our campus provides adequate places to study, and there are plenty of options,” she said.

“As long as everything’s up and running by exam week, everyone should be happy.”

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