Fort Lauderdale high-rise seniors preparing for ‘disaster’: Without water, there is also no air conditioning

Jul. 18--Fort Lauderdale's large senior population showed increasing concern on Thursday after learning their water supply would be cut off. The concern centered not only on the lack of drinking water, but also on their buildings' air conditioner reliance on water.

"It is a disaster, to be without water," said Pio Ieraci, president of the Galt Mile Community Association. "Many of our residents are elderly and when you are 30 stories up without water, it's a problem."

Ieraci's association oversees 30 high-rises in Fort Lauderdale with 7,000 units and 16,000 residents. By mid-morning, the association had been put on notice that water could soon be shut off for 24 to 36 hours.

"A lack of hydration for our elderly residents is a serious health concern," Ieraci said. Another major concern is air conditioning, he said.

"All our buildings have water-cooled central a/c systems and water runs through the units continuously," he said. "Because of the heat, water evaporates and gets replenished by city water. If there is no water to replenish it, it will shut off."

Dozens of nursing homes and senior centers received an alert that they would be affected by the water supply, and some scrambled to stock up on additional drinking water for their elderly residents. While homes don't rely on water to cool their a/c units, most larger buildings with rooftop a/c units do rely on water cooling systems such as high rise condominiums, apartments and even mid-rise nursing home facilities.

Senior centers such as the Sylvia L. Poitier & Theodora S. Williams Senior Center began to lose water pressure as the afternoon arrived and about 60 seniors discussed the situation. While the center had extra water on hand for drinking and flushing toilets, a spokeswoman said the seniors expressed concern about returning to homes without running water or highrises without air conditioning. "They know we will take care of it here, but they are worried about what they will do at home."

Local hospitals also moved into disaster mode, breaking out their hurricane supplies.

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At Kindred Hospital South Florida on Las Olas Boulevard, CEO Ted Welding said his 40 patients at the hospital will use the stocked cases of water for drinking and tubs filled with storage water for their baths and toilet use.

"We are prepared because we have to be prepared for a hurricane," he said. "We have got enough to last three or four days."

This morning, his leadership team ordered additional drinking water from the hospital's distributors.

Cindy Krischer Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4661, Twitter and Instagram @cindykgoodman

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