Hot Water Issue Plagues Heritage and Unity Hall

Edinburg – UTRGV’s Department of Housing and Residence Life responded to recurring water issues at the dorms after some student residents voiced out concerns at Heritage and Unity Hall.  

A student posted about the issue in the UTRGV Students Facebook page where others also shared a similar experience.    

Mariah Aguirre, integrated health sciences freshmen, lives at Heritage Hall and said the problem started in October.   

Aguirre said she communicated this to resident assistants through a group chat, but the issue was not addressed.   

She rated her experience in Heritage Hall as “not bad but not the greatest,” while saying she understands the dorms are one of the oldest.  

“I paid to live here, like, I just feel like those certain basic necessities should be, like, provided to us,” Aguirre said. “And like, if there’s a problem, it needs to be fixed.” 

Monica Vera, assistant director of Residence Life for Edinburg, emphasized the importance of using the right communication line when addressing dorm problems instead of relying on informal group chats.   

“There was a delay between the group chat and getting to us,” Vera said. “That official reporting process, we have somebody that’s on call 24/7. And that particular person knows that they can contact the housing coordinator on call.” 

Melina Ortiz, a biology freshman at UTRGV, lives at Unity Hall and explained there was an instance where her dorm’s toilet overflowed after a pipeline issue.   

Ortiz said she placed a work order three times and waited five days until the issue was fixed only after one of the student’s parents complained. 

“I do wish that they could get back to us quicker than they tells us when we first apply,” she said. “They were like, ‘We will be your number one priority,’ but I don’t feel like we’re the number one priority. So I just want them to keep their end of the bargain.” 

Vera says the department does follow maintenance schedules and is actively monitoring and repairing the water heating system to provide student residents with the best quality of dorm life.