The university will be cutting power to several campus buildings on the evening of April 16 for crews to install a generator that will restore power to Carpenter Tower, which has been without power since the severe storms and torrential downpours on April 15.
The flooding caused several problems across campus, with buildings including the Al McGuire Center sustaining significant flooding on both the basement and first floor. Streets also flooded, several inches. As of April 16, all street floodwaters have receded.
A statement from the university said crews are actively working to repair water damage to various campus buildings, including Carpenter Tower and Schroeder Hall. University spokesperson Kevin Conway said that the power outage at Carpenter Tower is the most immediate concern for the facilities team.
“The power issue made it really difficult to remediate all the water damage,” Conway said. “The [planned] power outage will help them connect a generator so that they can get power to Carpenter.”
When and where power will be cut
Power will be cut starting at 7 p.m. on April 16. The buildings that will be effected by the temporary outage are:
- Athletic and Human Performance Research Center
- Al McGuire Center
- Carpenter Tower
- Cobeen Hall
- Holthusen Hall
- Jesuit Residence
- Schroeder Hall
- Varsity Theatre
- Wells Street Parking Structure (Structure 2)
Conway said that pending the completion of all the necessary work, power is expected to be restored by 11 p.m. to all the affected buildings including Carpenter Tower.
More heavy rain and severe storms expected
While it will remain dry for the rest of the day, the Storm Prediction Center at the National Weather Service has put Milwaukee at a level 2/5 “slight risk” for severe weather on the evening of April 17.
The university is also reminding students of some safety protocols amidst the forecasted additional rain.
- Avoid intersections where there is standing water.
- Avoid driving if possible. If you must walk outside, avoid standing water. Follow the guidance, “If you can’t see the ground, turn around.”
- Be aware of hazards on the ground after water recedes. Floodwaters may contain debris, chemicals, sewage or hidden hazards.
- Do not use laundry facilities with standing water on the floors.
Students are reminded to report any water-related issues to MUPD via the non emergency number, (414) 288-6800. Alerts will be sent to students, faculty and staff who have signed up for the MUPD emergency alerts as needed over the next few days.
This story was written by Sahil Gupta. He can be reached at [email protected].
