HOUSTON – People who live at a north central Houston apartment complex have been forced to endure ice-cold showers and boil water for basic hygiene needs after being left without hot water since Christmas Day.
Multiple residents at the Montabella at Oak Forest Apartments reported having no hot water in seven buildings of the complex, with some resorting to heating water in pots on their stoves just to take a warm shower during recent cold temperatures.
“We pay rent here. We paid for amenities. There’s no reason for us to not have access to hot water,” said Luis De Los Santos, who has lived at the complex since February.
According to Texas Property Code Section 92.052, landlords must provide and maintain hot water at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, as it “materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant.”
The San Antonio-based United Apartments Group, which owns the complex, acknowledged through its vice president that the hot water system initially failed last Monday before being temporarily fixed.
It then broke down again on Christmas Day and has remained non-functional since.
A test of the water temperature during KPRC 2’s visit confirmed residents’ complaints.
While water was flowing, it remained cold even after running for several minutes.
“You could call it not cold,” De Los Santos said, demonstrating the lukewarm water from his tap. “It’s only like this probably because the sun is out. If it were colder and if it were cloudier, this would be extremely cold.”
De Los Santos described the arduous process residents must now undertake just to maintain basic hygiene.
“I’ll carry [pots of boiled water] to the kitchen, fill it up, and then bring it back and then fill the rest up with cold water to not make it boiling hot as I shower,” he explained.
The situation has been particularly challenging given recent cold temperatures in Houston.
“Today in the morning is really cold, last night was really cold. And you don’t want to be doing that every single time you have to shower,” De Los Santos said.
The problem appears widespread throughout the complex.
“I walk around pretty frequently just to walk, entertain myself, and as I walk by neighbors, I’ll ask them, ‘Hey, you got hot water?’ And they’re like, ‘Nah.’ And then we just laugh about it,” De Los Santos said.
Residents report that water issues have been an ongoing problem at the complex.
“We typically have water shut-offs every so often,” De Los Santos noted.
Management has previously blamed the issues on improper items being disposed of in the plumbing system, he says.
When contacted by KPRC 2 News, apartment management asked reporters to leave the property but stated they had emailed residents saying the hot water would be fixed by Wednesday.
However, residents remain skeptical given past experiences.
“How long will it stay fixed, that’s just a question of time,” De Los Santos said.