Tenants get water, though bill not paid

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - An apartment building left dry for five days after the landlord failed to pay the water bill has water again.

A city water employee turned the valve near the curb just after 1 p.m. today.

"Thank you. Now we can flush our toilets, take a shower, do our dishes," tenant Patricia Hammond told the city employee. "That's good. I'm happy."

As 24 Hour News 8 reported Thursday, the city had shut off the water at 811 Third St. NW on Monday after landlords Christina and Todd Bialas fell $702 behind in their water bill.

Tenants say water is included in their rent -- which totals $1,250 a month between the three occupied apartments.

They say the city wanted to put the water bill in their names -- for future payments -- but they couldn't afford it.

City Water Department Manager JoEllen Thompson said the city turned it back on without payment arrangements so they wouldn't be without water over the weekend.

"It's a real difficult situation," Thompson said.

They hope to make payment arrangements on Monday.

Hammond, who lives in an upstairs apartment with her husband and dog, hugged the city water employee after the water came back on.

Residents say they've gotten water from neighbors to get by.

"We have good neighbors, just a bad landlord," Hammond said.

One mom says she can start potty training her 2-year-old again, and pick him up from grandma's house.

"He can come home now," Chelsea Hanson said. "I can clean up the apartment, have him come home. I have a lot of dishes to do."

One resident in a wheelchair was celebrating.

"I just finished shaving," Juan Medina said. "Thank you so much. I have water."

The home on Third Street has been in foreclosure since April, city tax records show. The Bialases have until Oct. 8 to come up with $119,000, or the home goes back to the bank.

City officials say they haven't been able to find the landlords, who own four other homes in Grand Rapids.

He's owned a second-hand store, but a man at the shop on South Division Avenue in Wyoming says the Bialases are not associated with it.

The couple lists a home address in Hudsonville, but they sold it in June for $189,000, records show..