Updates and related communications are provided below, with the most recent information listed first. The original article remains available below for additional context.
Update: August 26, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.
Domestic cold water service was restored in Worcester Hall at 8 a.m. today. Sinks, toilets and water fountains can now be used normally throughout the building. Facilities teams completed valve installation work this morning in preparation for auxiliary equipment that will restore hot water service.
Hot water service remains unavailable in the building. Worcester residents will retain swipe-card access to Somerset and Prince Frederick Hall to use the showers until hot water service is restored in Worcester Hall. We will continue to provide updates to students by email and revise this article as the repair work progresses.
Worcester Hall is currently experiencing a hot water outage due to a leak affecting the building’s hot water equipment. Residential Facilities teams and leaders, working alongside specialized contractors, have assessed the issue and are actively working to restore hot water service as quickly and safely as possible.
Planned hot-and-cold water outage
To prepare the building for temporary hot water equipment, Residential Facilities has scheduled a building-wide hot-and-cold water outage for August 26 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
During this time:
- Hot and cold water will be unavailable throughout Worcester Hall.
- Worcester Hall bathrooms will be unavailable.
- Students may use designated bathrooms in Somerset Hall and Prince Frederick Hall.
- Worcester Hall residents will be provided access to these buildings through their university ID cards.
Facilities teams will install valves and complete other preliminary work needed to connect temporary equipment. The temporary equipment is currently being procured as part of our short-term plan to restore hot water service.
Work underway
Since the hot water outage began:
- Early move-in residents have received notifications and updates.
- Facilities teams have consulted with multiple specialized contractors.
- A short-term strategy has been developed to install temporary equipment and restore hot water service.
- Long-term repair options are being evaluated to provide a permanent solution.
Work on the temporary and permanent solutions is moving forward concurrently. Although a confirmed restoration timeline is not yet available, we will share it as soon as the necessary equipment and installation schedule are finalized.
Staying informed
We understand that this outage is disruptive, particularly during move-in, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Residential Facilities is actively coordinating the work and taking steps to support residents while repairs are underway.
Students will continue to receive updates through their university email. Status updates will also be posted on the Alerts and Utility Outages page.
Questions may be directed to resfacilities@umd.edu or to your Resident Assistant. To report a separate facilities concern, please submit a request through Facilities Service Central.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to restore hot water service.