Residents checking into the 801 East Men’s Shelter were transported to alternate sites beginning Sunday, August 7 due to a pipe break that disrupted the plumbing on the St. Elizabeth campus.
Department of General Services (DGS) workers replaced a 60 foot pipe as of 4 p.m. August 9, however the shelter remained closed as DGS completed a process called “charging” to flush the system and ensure the stability of the new pipe, according to Dora Taylor, public information officer for D.C. Department of Human Services (DHS).
The pipe broke August 6 and residents were provided bottled water and access to portable toilets for the evening. Beginning the next day, incoming residents were transported to Bald Eagle, King Greenleaf and Fort Stanton Recreation Centers. Residents were provided meals and showers at their assigned locations.
Vulnerable residents, as identified by Catholic Charities case managers, were permitted to remain overnight at 801 East. They were given additional bottled water and portable toilet access. They were transported to Adam’s Place shelter every morning to shower.
Each morning, DHS, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education provided transportation from the recreation centers to regular service sites for food and case management. Return transportation to the 801 East site was not offered in the mornings, according to Taylor.
The shelter is expected to reopen for regular intake hours at 5 p.m. on August 10.
