By Carol Britton Meyer

Residents of one building at the McTighe Manor elderly housing complex on Atlantic House Court were without hot water for a week earlier this month after a leaking tank could not be replaced due to supply-chain issues, the housing authority’s executive director said.

“We had a difficult situation with no hot water in Building 3. The water tank had suddenly begun to leak profusely, flooding the first-floor hallway, and was no longer providing hot water,” Executive Director Michael Flaherty said at Wednesday’s meeting of the housing authority. “A new hot water tank was not available right away due to supply chain issues, but we were able to get one from out-of-state.”

Referring to what occurred as “a lousy set of circumstances,” Flaherty said the housing authority provided a shower for tenants who were without hot water to use in the building next door – in the one vacant apartment in the complex – and they were also able to boil water when necessary, Flaherty said. A new tank was installed a week later, as soon as one became available.

A resident who joined the remote meeting said she had no knowledge of the available shower and that a notice should have been posted to inform the tenants.

Flaherty responded that he thought everyone had been informed and that if she had called him directly, he could have let her know that a shower was available nearby, which a number of Building 3 residents used.

In a telephone conversation following the brief meeting, Flaherty provided further details to The Hull Times. He said the incident occurred on Friday, Jan. 27, at 3:15 p.m.

“Unfortunately, in order to prevent the building from [flooding further], the hot water tank had to be shut off,” he said. “The housing authority immediately contacted a plumber, who attempted to locate a new tank, but due to supply chain issues, securing one was very difficult.”

In the meantime, Flaherty said, “residents were kept abreast of the situation by housing authority staff.”

After a new tank was located, it arrived on the following Friday, Feb. 3, and was installed immediately.

“The housing authority will post information in the hallway about any situation that may arise in the future,” Flaherty said.

In other business at the meeting, he reported that while seniors are overall paying their rent on time, “there are some challenges on the family side with rent collection.” Efforts are being made to resolve that issue.

Also, the housing authority is working on selecting a tenant for the one vacant apartment at Atlantic House Court.

The housing authority’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 15, at 3:30 p.m. The agenda and access information will be posted on the town’s website, www.town.hull.ma.us.