Last winter’s ‘polar vortex’ cost UW-Madison estimated $4.9 million in flood damage

Aug. 27--Last winter's deep freeze shut down most of UW-Madison, flooded academic floors and led to a long list of maintenance requests.

It also caused an estimated $4.9 million in damage to 28 university buildings.

The financial estimate provided by UW-Madison officials Monday is the first reported since a "polar vortex" plunged the Madison area to temperatures as low as 26 degrees below zero in the last week of January.

The bitter cold, followed that weekend by temperatures in the 40s, wreaked havoc on the university's pipes and water lines, causing many to burst.

University spokesman John Lucas said the estimate was a "near-final" total that could rise because officials are still receiving invoices.

Buildings damaged by flooding

--Chemistry Building: Ruptured fire suppression pipe

--Health Sciences Learning Center: Ruptured domestic water line

--Vilas Hall: Ruptured fire suppression pipe

--Bascom Hall: Frozen rain gutter and roof leak

--Genetics-Biotechnology Center: Ruptured domestic water line

--Grainger Hall: Ice dam and roof leak

--Hanson Biomedical Sciences Building: Malfunctioning heater and frozen roof drain

--Law Building: Broken exterior hose bib

--Microbial Sciences Building: Ruptured fire suppression pipe

--Noland Zoology Building: Ruptured hot water line

--Van Hise Hall: Frozen exterior storm line

--Waisman Center: Frozen radiator pipe; snow in air handling unit

--Weeks Hall for Geological Sciences: Damaged reverse osmosis water line

--Pine Bluff Observatory: Frozen domestic water line

--Engineering Centers: Building Equipment fire

--333 East Campus Mall: Humidifier failure

--American Family Children's Hospital: Frozen roof drainage line

--Atmospheric Oceanic & Space Sciences: Frozen exterior hose bibs

--Chazen Museum of Art: Leaks; ice and snow in air handling units

--Computer Science and Statistics: Frozen deck drain

--Engineering Research Building: Malfunctioning heater; broken door

--Mosse Humanities Building: Frozen deck drain

--Science Hall: Frozen domestic water line

--King Hall: Plugged radiator

--Van Vleck Hall: Radiator pipe leak

--Wisconsin Institute for Discovery: Frozen eye-wash station

--Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research: Failed condensate pipe seal

--Steenbock Library: Frozen deck drain

Source: UW-Madison

UW-Madison is self-insured through the state Department of Administration and received reimbursement for some of the $4.9 million in claims. He said the university expects payment for the vast majority of the work.

Large insurance claims can take more than a year to completely close with all parties, Lucas said.

Other flooding-related problems in campus buildings included, among others, a roof leak in Grainger Hall, humidifier failure in 333 East Campus Mall and a plugged radiator in King Hall.

Altogether, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank described the flooding event as "unprecedented."

Vilas Hall and the Chemistry Building suffered the most severe damage, closing both buildings in the immediate aftermath and forcing administrators to relocate more than 150 course sections.

Most employees in the chemistry department moved back to their building gradually throughout the semester. In late May, after the semester concluded, faculty and staff in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication were cleared to return to their Vilas Hall offices.

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