We had a couple great questions about the water outage on Wednesday night, necessary to complete connection to the garage fire sprinklers.
For some the outage may have been barely noticeable, and we had far fewer calls about clogged aerators and low water pressure than the previous shut down.
Some residents noticed the water back on MUCH earlier than anticipated…or at least it seemed that way.
First, the staff did give a bit of room for error in the timing, opting to be very conservative in case something went wrong. They actually expected this work to take only 2 or 3 hours, but to be safe they gave us a much larger window of time. If you’ve been following along, we’ve run into a lot of pesky issues along the way that were not predictable; some big and some small. So they provided a timeframe with an abundance of caution.
Second, thanks to the new valves we invested in, they did not have to drain the entire building! Water stayed in the pipes and continued to be supplied as we were able by the storage tanks in place. Pressure probably lowered for everyone and some units probably saw it trickle and come to a stop, especially on upper floors. But once the work was done, it was much easier to refill and get back up to the regular pressure.
So, it was an easier run than our previous efforts. To some, it may have seemed like nothing even happened. We avoided sending out a follow up, because of the number of calls we had last time with residents that had low pressure or even no water, and clogged aerators. We ended up having very minimal such calls this time.
But thankfully, YES, we are now 100% done with this project.
Wednesday July 9th 9pm thru Thursday July 10th 5am
All Units – Residential & Commercial Included
The Project to Replace the Main Valves for Water Coming into the Building from the City was Completed as Planned Overnight Wednesday June 25th….
…HOWEVER, our team reported they were unable to complete connections that were needed to the fire pumps serving the garage sprinklers. Parts that were ordered for this particular work were not exactly what was needed, so they were unable to complete the job. As this is about fire safety, particularly in the garage, new parts were ordered and this was scheduled as quickly as possible. Sadly, it does require one more full building water shut down.
This work will begin on Wednesday, July 9th around 9pm, after which there will be no water service until these pumps are properly connected and operational. There will be no cold or hot water to any kitchens or bathrooms until service restored by about 5am on Thursday July 10th. This is barring any unforeseen conditions or complications that may arise. As we learned during the most recent shut off, it is possible that very warm weather could cause our cooling tower to run low on water, so AC may be impacted, though we should be able to bring things back to normal within a few hours of the work being done.
No time is a good time to lose water service, and we again recognize this will be an inconvenience. However, the work is being done to avoid unplanned shutdowns. We’ve chosen to do this overnight to reduce the inconvenience this will cause.
We intend to keep everyone posted via e-mail and text messages with any important updates. If you are not subscribed for texts, you can do so anytime. Just text the word “PTCAmaintenance” to 94253. See below for more about this project and for tips on how to prepare your household for a lengthy water shut down.
Get Other Alerts Via Text As Well! Subscribe to the Park Tower Emergency Message Service by Texting the word “PTCAalerts” to 94253. Also, for notices and reminders, text “PTCAnotices”.
URGENT NOTICE – Overnight Building Wide Water Shutdown
Wednesday June 25th 9pm thru Thursday June 26th 8am
All Units – Residential & Commercial Included
A Planned Project to Replace the Main Valves for Water Coming into the Building from the City has been Scheduled for Overnight from 9pm Wednesday June 25th until 8am Thursday June 26th
In order to accommodate the rescheduled replacement of the original main valves which control the intake of water from the City Of Chicago, water serving all units – residential & commercial – as well as all amenity spaces will be shut down. This project is being done in coordination with the City of Chicago. The City will be shutting off the streetside mains, while our team and the contractor hired for the work replace the building mains overnight.
This work will begin on Wednesday, June 25th around 9pm, after which there will be no water service until the replacement is finished. There will be no cold or hot water to any kitchens or bathrooms. They expect to complete the replacement overnight and to have water service restored by 8am on Thursday June 26th. This is barring any unforeseen conditions or complications that may arise.
Of course, no time is a good time to lose water service, and we recognize this will be an inconvenience. However, the work is being done to avoid unplanned shutdowns. This work was targeted because of the age and condition of the valves, so we can plan for the work rather than scramble in response to possible failures in the future.
We’ve chosen to do this overnight to reduce the inconvenience this will cause, however we are also at the mercy of the City’s availability. We intend to keep everyone posted via e-mail and text messages with any important updates. If you are not subscribed for texts, you can do so anytime. Just text the word “PTCAmaintenance” to 94253. Get Other Alerts Via Text As Well! Subscribe to the Park Tower Emergency Message Service by Texting the word “PTCAalerts” to 94253. Also, for notices and reminders, text “PTCAnotices”.
How To Prepare For A Watershutdown
Being prepared for a water shutdown in a high-rise apartment is key to minimizing the challenges caused by the disruption. Here are some practical tips to help you get ready:
Put the details in your calendar, cell phone, or other smart device… note the expected date and time of the water shutdown and anticipated duration. And during the outage, watch for any updates from our team.
Stock some bottled water for the event, especially if you don’t have room to store large containers of water.
Use Your Bathtub for Water Storage: Fill up your bathtub with water. It’s a large, often underused space that can hold several gallons for flushing toilets or washing hands.
Containers: Fill smaller containers (buckets, pitchers, large bowls) that can be used for drinking water, cooking, and cleaning.
Drinking Water: Don’t forget to store enough drinking water—a good , around a gallon per person for the duration of the shutdown.
Flush Alternatives: Keep a large bucket or even several smaller ones that you can fill with water to flush the toilet. You just pour a couple gallons into the toilet and it will flush.
Wet Wipes: Stock up on wet wipes for personal hygiene, especially if you won’t have access to water for showers. REMEMBER – DO NOT FLUSH WIPES…even if it says so on the packaging, even so called “flushable wipes” are terrible for high rise plumbing and flushing them could lead to flooding and significant property damage. (Learn more about that here: https://www.ptcondo.com/wipes-are-not-flushable/)
Hand Sanitizer: Make sure you have hand sanitizer on hand, as washing your hands with water might not be possible.
Meal Prep: Prepare meals in advance that don’t require water to cook or clean up. Canned goods, pre-cooked meals, and microwaveable food can save a lot of hassle.
Avoid Cooking During Shutdown: If you need to cook during the water shutdown, try to limit it to things that don’t require washing dishes.
Try to do all your dishes, laundry, and any cleaning that requires water before the shutdown begins. The last thing you want is to be stuck with dirty dishes and laundry without a way to clean them.
Disinfectant Wipes: Keep plenty of disinfectant wipes around for wiping down surfaces.
Paper Towels: Keep paper towels stocked for cleaning and drying as needed.
Bonus Tip: Emergency Supplies
Have an Emergency Kit: Always a good idea to have a small emergency kit with things like a flashlight, battery-powered fan, and a first aid kit, just in case the water is shut off longer than expected and we unexpectedly end up in a situation where power is also affected – for example if there is very severe weather.
And speaking of that, it is always good to stay brushed up on the PTCA Resident Emergency Procedures. For the handbook, Click Here.
It will be less of a challenge and inconvenience if you prepare in advance, the help get through the water shutdown more smoothly!
The new water mains being put in are a bit different size and structure than the originals, and they won’t fit together in the needed space. Further complicating this, the electrical line is embedded in concrete immediately surrounding the work location, coming directly from the ComEd main vault on Sheridan. So we have to coordinate with them to shut the line off to be able to move it. The good news, the needed work will not impact residents directly. The bad news is, this line is dedicated to our fire pumps. SO, on top of adding ComEd to the party, we are adding the Chicago Fire Department.
However…we are extremely pleased to report ComEd has been SUPER responsive with us, and CFD is typically always responsive. In under 24 hours they were communicating with us about the situation and within 3 days they had a team here addressing the situation, helping us coordinate everything needed so we can finally replace the water mains. The electrical work is expected to be completed during the day Wednesday June 18th between 8am and 4pm. You will see ComEd trucks out front, with workers coming and going from the vault. The CFD is expected to have water trucks on standby should any issues arise with the pumps being down.
The new date range – tentatively – is set for Wednesday June 25th, from 9pm to 8am Thursday June 26th.
We will continue to update this post, as more relevant information comes in. When we know with more certainty this date is locked in, a door drop will be distributed.
Being prepared for a water shutdown in a high-rise apartment is key to minimizing the challenges caused by the disruption. Here are some practical tips to help you get ready:
Put the details in your calendar, cell phone, or other smart device… note the expected date and time of the water shutdown and anticipated duration. And during the outage, watch for any updates from our team.
Stock some bottled water for the event, especially if you don’t have room to store large containers of water.
Use Your Bathtub for Water Storage: Fill up your bathtub with water. It’s a large, often underused space that can hold several gallons for flushing toilets or washing hands.
Containers: Fill smaller containers (buckets, pitchers, large bowls) that can be used for drinking water, cooking, and cleaning.
Drinking Water: Don’t forget to store enough drinking water—a good , around a gallon per person for the duration of the shutdown.
Flush Alternatives: Keep a large bucket or even several smaller ones that you can fill with water to flush the toilet. You just pour a couple gallons into the toilet and it will flush.
Wet Wipes: Stock up on wet wipes for personal hygiene, especially if you won’t have access to water for showers. REMEMBER – DO NOT FLUSH WIPES…even if it says so on the packaging, even so called “flushable wipes” are terrible for high rise plumbing and flushing them could lead to flooding and significant property damage. (Learn more about that here: https://www.ptcondo.com/wipes-are-not-flushable/)
Hand Sanitizer: Make sure you have hand sanitizer on hand, as washing your hands with water might not be possible.
Meal Prep: Prepare meals in advance that don’t require water to cook or clean up. Canned goods, pre-cooked meals, and microwaveable food can save a lot of hassle.
Avoid Cooking During Shutdown: If you need to cook during the water shutdown, try to limit it to things that don’t require washing dishes.
Try to do all your dishes, laundry, and any cleaning that requires water before the shutdown begins. The last thing you want is to be stuck with dirty dishes and laundry without a way to clean them.
Disinfectant Wipes: Keep plenty of disinfectant wipes around for wiping down surfaces.
Paper Towels: Keep paper towels stocked for cleaning and drying as needed.
Bonus Tip: Emergency Supplies
Have an Emergency Kit: Always a good idea to have a small emergency kit with things like a flashlight, battery-powered fan, and a first aid kit, just in case the water is shut off longer than expected and we unexpectedly end up in a situation where power is also affected – for example if there is very severe weather.
And speaking of that, it is always good to stay brushed up on the PTCA Resident Emergency Procedures. For the handbook, Click Here.
It will be less of a challenge and inconvenience if you prepare in advance, the help get through the water shutdown more smoothly!
Once we have the date, this post will be updated and notices will be door dropped.
Residents may have noticed, very fortunately no water shut off was necessary. Their crews have already departed, and the Circle Driveway is accessible once again.
We presume they should soon be confirming a date for us to do our planned replacement of the building-side mains. This has been delayed due to valve problems they’ve identified along Sheridan Road as they’ve made preparations for our project. We originally hoped that would happen overnight April 30th, but that’s obviously been delayed by the street-side issues the City has identified over the past month.
We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding while these important improvements are being coordinated and completed.
Feel free to contact the office at parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com with any questions or concerns.
Tuesday April 29th between 9am and 3pm
All Units – Residential & Commercial Included
Representatives of the City of Chicago reported they will be conducting maintenance on the street side water mains – indirectly connected to our pending water main project. This is expected Tuesday April 29th between 9am and 3pm. They advised they will be blocking the circle driveway in front during this time, and they’ve said it is not guaranteed, but it is possible water will be shut off to the entire building. This would impact both cold and hot water service to all residential and commercial units, and all kitchens, bathrooms and amenity locations.
We’ve evaluated what they intend to do, and similar to their previous effort, due to the age of the valves involved on the City’s side, we believe a water outage is more than a possibility.
As a reminder, the building’s valve project is still pending, and will require an overnight water outage. Once a date is confirmed with the City we will issue a follow up notice with details.
No time is a good time to lose water service and we recognize it will be an inconvenience. However, the reason the work is being done is to avoid unplanned shutdowns – given the age of these valves we are glad the City is doing this work now rather than later. The work is targeted and proactive because of the condition of the valves. Planning for the work is better than responding to leaks, floods or unexpected outages.
As a result of this work, when the water comes back on, sediment may get in the line from the iron pipes. This should clear up if you run your water for a few minutes. Also, if an aerator gets clogged or you have low water pressure, contact our team and we will have maintenance take a look. Call us at 773-769-3250 or send an email to parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com.
It is unlikely it will be April 30th at this point. But it was reported that the City has identified a number of other issues along Sheridan Road that they have been addressing which may explain the continued delay.
Once we have confirmation, a door drop notice with details will be issued to each unit.
Part of the work requires City workers be present to operate the mains from the street side, to turn the water off to the Tower. Apparently they identified problems on the street side requiring work before this can be done.
TENTATIVELY, they’ve told us to expect to reschedule this for the night of Wednesday April 30th, at 9pm, unti Thursday May 1st at 8am. However, we are waiting for this to be confirmed.
Once it is confirmed, a door drop will be sent out and this post will be updated.
Please read the original post below to understand more about what is expected, and contact our team any time with questions at parktowercondo-mgmt@habitat.com.
In order to accommodate the replacement of the original main valves which control the intake of water from the City Of Chicago, water serving all units – residential & commercial – as well as all amenity spaces, will be shut down overnight on Wednesday April 16th. This project is being done in coordination with the City of Chicago. The City will be shutting off the streetside mains, while our team and the contractor hired for the work, replace the building’s mains.
This work will begin on Wednesday night April 16th around 9pm, after which there will be no water service until the replacement is finished. There will be no cold or hot water to any kitchens or bathrooms. They expect to complete the replacement overnight and to have water service restored by 8am on Thursday April 17th. This is barring any unforeseen conditions or complications that may arise.
Of course no time is a good time to lose water service and we recognize this will be an inconvenience. However, the reason the work is being done is to avoid unplanned shutdowns. This work was targeted and proactive because of the condition of the valves, so we can plan for the work rather than scramble in response to possible failures in the future.
We’ve chosen to do this overnight to reduce the inconvenience this will cause, however we are also at the mercy of the City’s availability. We will keep everyone posted via e-mail and text messages with any important updates. If you are not subscribed for texts, you can do so anytime. Just text the word “PTCAmaintenance” to 94253.
Get Other Alerts Via Text As Well! Subscribe to the Park Tower Emergency Message Service by Texting the word “PTCAalerts” to 94253. Also, for notices and reminders, text “PTCAnotices”.
We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding while this effort is undertaken.
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | ||
13 | 18 | 19 | ||||
20 | 26 | |||||
27 | 28 | 30 | 1 | |||
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | ||
13 | 18 | 19 | ||||
20 | 26 | |||||
27 | 28 | 30 | 1 | |||
