Waukesha shelter's pipes burst again after December damage

WAUKESHA, Wis. - Call it bad luck or bad timing, but leaders at a Waukesha shelter are definitely calling a plumber. For the second time in two months, burst pipes have created a mess.

What they're saying:

For Brad Haas, it has become a catastrophe beyond comprehension.

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"It’s really disheartening to walk through and – and it’s like we’re back to square one almost," he said.

This is what it looked like on Feb. 10 at the Waukesha Emergency Overflow Shelter. Haas said his security team got an alert because of unusual water pressure in the building. Minutes later, there was a mess.

Pipe bursts at Waukesha Emergency Overflow Shelter in February

Damage in December

The backstory:

The shelter reopened last month with brand-new floors and drywall. That was because of another pipe problem in December. The ceiling fell, leaving insulation and standing water all over the building. Haas said the first flood alone added up to about $70,000 in damage.

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"We’re not able to reopen given the timelines of the construction," he said.

The shelter was designed to hold about 30 people during the coldest months. This year, it was only open for about five weeks.

Pipe bursts at Waukesha Emergency Overflow Shelter in December

What's next:

Leaders found other places for the dozen people staying there, but they’re still looking for answers.

"We have our insurance company that’s going to go through and doing an investigation," said Haas. "We’re going to look at the whole system and make sure this never happens again."

Leaders at the shelter are hopeful the community will step up and help them out again. If you'd like to donate, visit the shelter's website.