Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
University officials continue to closely monitor the community’s water emergency situation and how it affects the campus. UNC-Chapel Hill remains in Condition 3 (closed) until further notice. Only mandatory employees must report to or remain at work. All University operations remain temporarily suspended.
The Orange County Health Department’s “Do Not Drink” order requiring local residents to NOT use water from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) is still in effect. Only bottled water is recommended for all water needs. Please continue to visit the health department website and OWASA website for the latest information.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro are among local governments currently under a state of emergency. All are posting updates, including locations for free water distributions, on their websites and social media accounts. Residents may contact Orange County emergency officials at (919) 245-6111, get updates on Twitter at @ocncemergency, and sign up for updates by texting OWASAWATER to 888777. The emergency affects the OWASA service area. Water is available in northern Orange, Durham and other neighboring counties.
Portable Toilets on Campus
Across campus, several departments coordinated efforts until late Friday night to place nearly 100 portable toilets near residence halls, dining halls, office buildings supporting critical functions, several academic buildings and patient facilities including the Ambulatory Care Center. Those deliveries included 16 American With Disabilities Act-compliant port-o-johns. Light stanchions were added to locations requiring additional lighting for nighttime safety.
Student Services
Rams Head Dining Hall will serve limited menus on Saturday: continental breakfast from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free bottled water will be handed out as supplies last in the lobby at Rams Head Dining during operating hours. Dining staff distributed more than 1,200 bottles of water through Friday night. Please continue to check http://menus.dining.unc.edu/ for updated hours.
The Pit Stop at Student Stores will be open today from noon until 3 p.m. and provide free lunch items to those in need, while supplies last. Granville Towers dining hall will serve meals throughout the weekend. Granville residents should consult the Agora website for details.
Housing officials continue to urge remaining residential students to leave campus if they are able until the water emergency is over. Campus Health Services will be open for acute care services only until 5 p.m. today and between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Research Facilities
In research laboratories, safety equipment – including safety eye washes and shower — remains inaccessible. Department of Environment, Health and Safety Officials say all lab personnel must consider that in determining what essential activities may safely be conducted.
Men’s Basketball
Details about the men’s basketball game that was rescheduled for Sunday in Greensboro are posted at http://goheels.com/.
Next Campus Message
The campus community can expect another message with any updates from OWASA later today. UNC-Chapel Hill posts updates on alertcarolina.unc.edu, unc.edu, and social media channels as any change in conditions warrant. (See information sources below).
Adverse Weather and Emergency Event Policy and General Background
Employees are reminded of the University’s Adverse Weather and Emergency Event Policy. Refer to https://hr.unc.edu/benefits/leave-holidays/weather-emergency/. Unless a change in operational status is announced, the University always operates on a regular schedule. UNC-Chapel Hill may activate three adverse weather or emergency event operating conditions: Condition 1 – Reduced Operations (University is open); Condition 2 – Suspended Operations (University is open only for mandatory operations; classes cancelled); and Condition 3 – Closure (classes are cancelled; offices and facilities are closed).
Please visit “Adverse Weather’s Impact on University Operations: A Summary,” posted on the Alert Carolina and Office of Human Resources websites to view a chart describing the three conditions in greater detail along with a summary explaining the key factors in the decision-making process for adverse weather or emergency events such as the current water emergency.
Safety is the number one priority when making decisions about campus operations. Carolina is committed to announcing any decision about operational changes promptly to provide our community with as much lead time as possible to plan travel to and from campus.
Information Sources
When the University’s operating status changes, campus communications will include:
- An email, website post and, if conditions warrant, a text message from Alert Carolina, http://www.alertcarolina.unc.edu. You must be signed up to receive an Alert Carolina text message.
- Posts on the University’s homepage, www.unc.edu, amplified via official social media accounts including @UNC, @Alert_UNCCH (for parents, family, Chapel Hill residents and friends) and @UNC_HR on Twitter.
- Adverse Weather and Emergency Phone Line: (919) 843-1234. You may call this number to hear recorded announcements about campus operations.
- UNC Transportation and Parking for information including parking lot conditions and the status of Point-to-Point shuttle operations. Refer to http://move.unc.edu.
- Area news media websites.
- Chapel Hill Transit also posts adverse weather or emergency event news and routes and schedules. Refer to http://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/news-events/emergency/adverse-weather-updates