“I can’t live like this,” said Jack Poole, 67, who resides along with his 62-year-old roommate in the 300 block of Southwind Mobile Home Estates.
Earlier this month, the city shut off water service to two trailer parks due to nonpayment of a water bill that, at one point, was estimated to be nearly half a million dollars. City officials believed they had reached a payment arrangement with the court-appointed receiver of the property, Ira Lauter, but the expected payment never came through.
During a court hearing last week, Lauter told the judge that the bank which owns the property would no longer cover repairs or utility bills. He has since requested to be removed as the receiver.
When the water was turned off, many of Poole’s neighbors packed up and moved on, he said, but for Poole and his roommate, who suffers from health problems and requires oxygen, there is no place to go.
“I can’t move. I have no place to move to,” said Poole, who said he’s been paying for water included in his rent payment that he isn’t getting.
Poole was one of five plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city, asking the court to issue a preliminary injunction preventing the city from shutting off their water. The judge denied Poole’s request, while granting injunctions to two other plaintiffs who were able to demonstrate consistent rent payments that included water charges.
His recent discussions with attorneys haven’t offered much hope.
“They tell me they’re not going to get me turned back on for another three to six months, maybe eight,” he said. “I’ve been without water now for almost a month.”
Poole said he’s spent all of his money on bottled water and his supply is dwindling. He won’t receive any income until the first of the month and he’s not sure where the water will come from.
He has pets and says he makes sure they get water, but bathing with bottled water is impossible, as is household cleaning and flushing the toilet.
Poole said that going without water has underscored just how essential it is to daily life, and with rising temperatures forecasted for the coming week, he’s worried.
“It’s just got me in a bind,” he said.
He’s tried reaching out to area organizations asking for water but hasn’t had any luck.
“I can’t handle the stress anymore,” he said.
Poole isn’t the only tenant who stayed on despite the lack of running water. Another resident, Thomas Christian, spoke with The Kewanee Voice at the courthouse last week. He lives in the 300 block of Southwind and has been having to go to his mom’s house to fill up containers and bathe, but said it’s been difficult cleaning his home and bathing his dog that has skin conditions.
“It’s awful,” he said.
