SPRINGFIELD, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – After NewsChannel 7’s investigation into the water being shut off at a local mobile home park, the water is finally back on.
Tenants living in the Panama City Mobile Home Park, located in Springfield, went around eight days without running water before it was turned back on last Tuesday. While residents said they’re very appreciative to finally be able to cook and do laundry in their own homes again, some said they’re still upset with how the situation was handled.
It was a massive relief for these residents.
“We all took showers. We did. We all took a nice hot shower,” a resident said.
After more than a week without running water, tenants were frustrated and losing hope.
“Oh from the beginning it’s just been a mess,” a resident said.
The water was turned off on December 5th due to an ongoing issue between the City of Springfield and the landlord. Records show the city repeatedly tried to move existing water meters onto public property. But the project calls for the owner’s cooperation.
After 10 months of back and forth, city officials told NewsChannel 7 they had to move forward. As a result, the water got cut off. But on the 13th, it was turned back on.
A local man, Steven Clark Jr. volunteered to help after residents said multiple workers tried and failed to fix the problem.
“I’m a painter. I just came to paint. And this happened like three or four days into my painting,” Clark said. “Like two days later I told him I got a crew up in Southport. I put a crew together and we’ll come in and do this stuff. And they did and we got it done.”
The landlord has taken a lot of heat from residents.
“I’m thankful that we have running water again. I just hope the landlord wants to make it right for what he’s done. So we’ll see. Time will tell,” a resident said.
NewsChannel 7 reached out to the landlord multiple times for comment, again on Thursday, but he did not pick up. City leaders told NewsChannel 7 they haven’t heard from the landlord since the water was reconnected.
As for the residents, they said they’re just glad they’ll have water for the holidays.
“It’s almost over though. Well, the water part is over for now,” a resident said.
The team of workers who reconnected the water lines was back out there Thursday, covering them up as quickly as possible in hopes they won’t freeze with the temperatures dropping this week.
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