For almost three weeks, Louis* has been “surviving”, he sighs. Like other residents of the Boutonnet university campus, in Montpellier (Hérault), this student no longer has hot water in his apartment, he tells 20 minutes. “Daily life is complicated,” laments this student. In the morning, I don’t want to get up and go straight under cold water. »
Cold, the word is weak, Louis corrects. ” Jelly ! » Then he takes off his glove and goes back under the covers. “Coming back, it’s the same story again,” he sighs. I try to get in the shower, but it’s complicated. » So he washes himself with a glove, again.
“I have oily hair, because to wash it, I have to boil water in my pan. It’s the only way to get it. » Louis assures that he has only been able to take one hot shower in three weeks, since there was a breakdown in the U city. But immediately he was able to warm up a little, that the hot water was cut again. “It’s the same for washing dishes,” he gets carried away. There is no hot water in the sink that all the residents on the floor share, so to wipe the plates with ice water, “good luck,” he confides. “20 minutes of diving, for 5 minutes of cooking! »
The laundry took “five days to dry, hanging in the room”
To make matters worse, this student has no heating, he says. And no curtains, either, he assures. “So, the cold air from outside passes through the windows, and it’s constantly cold in the rooms, so it’s sweater, blanket and jogging, every day. With the temperatures of the last few weeks, it hasn’t been easy. » It’s not easy, either, to dry your laundry. It took “five days to dry, lying in my room,” he assures us.
HAS 20 minutes, the services of the Crous de Montpellier confirm that “certain residents of the Boutonnet university campus were able to notice that the hot water supply network (…) had been operating randomly for several days. These dysfunctions are linked to the construction site of the future residence, located near the administrative building, and more specifically to the installation a few weeks ago of a new boiler room which will, in the long term, allow the city to benefit from a system more efficient and environmentally friendly hot water supply.
The Crous services say they are “fully aware that these problems impact the living conditions of certain students”
The Crous assures that “despite multiple attempts to resolve the hot water supply malfunction from this new installation, and despite an improvement in most buildings (…), the situation is not yet completely stabilized at the “currently, particularly on a building, and we deeply deplore this for the students.” Everything is being done, assures the organization, so that all students can find hot water in their accommodation.
A new intervention is planned for this Tuesday, indicates the Crous. “If the students of the city encounter a specific and urgent problem linked to this situation, they are strongly encouraged to report it by contacting the administration of the city U,” its services detail. Fully aware that these problems impact the daily living conditions of certain students, we will keep them informed until the problem is resolved. »
* The first name has been changed to preserve anonymity.