Burst pipes and brown water irk residents at Pinehurst senior complex

Frustration is growing for hundreds of residents in a senior apartment complex in East Patchogue after water pipes burst causing leaks and brown water from faucets.

News 12 Staff

Aug 21, 2022, 4:49 PM

Updated 839 days ago

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Frustration is growing for hundreds of residents in a senior apartment complex in East Patchogue.
It comes after water pipes burst causing leaks and brown water from faucets.
There are currently plumbers and fire and water cleanup restoration trucks in front of the complex. Seniors say burst pipe issues happened four times in five days this past week.
According to the residents, water pipes burst on Monday, Friday, Saturday and this morning.  Water has leaked out into the hallways and into their apartments – damaging property and creating mold issues. The tenants say that repairs are made but it is a bandaid to the situation as it keeps happening over and over.
Some tenants say they have not had clean running water in days, and when it is turned back on – it’s brown out of the tap.
Some people at the facility are disabled and have major health issues. One tenant, Dawn Damico Meyer says she is legally blind, had cancer, heart and kidney disease and has bed sores. She says she shouldn’t have to battle this too.
"My health is at risk. Everybody else’s health is at risk when we turn that water on,” she said. “…You’re taking a shower in brown water with open sores. Not very good. They say let it run, but you know what? When I put it in that bucket it’s still brown water.”
Residents say they have had to buy bottled water just to bathe.
Conifer L.L.C., the complex's management company, sent News 12 a statement saying, “The wellbeing of our residents is always our top priority. We are aware of the situation and are working diligently to resolve it. We will continue to communicate with our residents as repairs are completed."
Tenants say that is not good enough.
"Right now, management is blowing us off as far as I'm concerned," says Jack Vartabedian.