ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — A senior living facility in Englewood has been without clean water for nearly two weeks, forcing residents to go without showers for days.
On Aug. 8, Brookdale Meridian Englewood Senior Living informed residents via email that the Englewood Water District had detected excess levels of nitrate in the facility's water. The water was deemed unsafe for consumption or bathing, with tests revealing nitrate levels over 50 parts per million (ppm), five times the maximum contaminant level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Melissa Royle’s 81-year-old mother was among those affected and was unable to shower for 14 consecutive days.
“She thought that this would be remedied fairly quickly, and as of today, the water still has not turned on,” Royle said. “This isn't the first operational issue that we've been through with Brookdale Meridian, but by far the most serious.”
Royle’s mother, like many of the more than 200 seniors living at the facility, has remained silent out of fear of retaliation. As of Aug. 21, the drinking water is still off, forcing the facility and its kitchen to rely on bottled water in the meantime.
The City of Englewood acknowledged the water issue, explaining that it stems from problems within the facility, specifically related to flushing the boiler system. In a statement, the city emphasized that this is not a citywide water supply problem and the issue is confined to the facility's internal plumbing.
In a statement, Brookdale said the nitrate was identified during routine maintenance on Aug. 8. but did not address how long the contamination had been present or when the water would be restored.
“Folks are concerned that they're not getting the answers,” Royle said. “I don't know what else to do for my mom, other than to try to reach out and help. Because it's not just her—that's a very vulnerable population that needs an advocate.”
The latest email from Brookdale, sent on Aug. 15, advised residents they could safely shower as long as they didn’t swallow the water.
However, Royle expressed concern, noting that her mother needs assistance to bathe, “I don't know if you know how difficult it is, you know, as you get older, to make sure that you know nothing is ingested when you're showering.”
Brookdale said they are working with an industrial hygienist and are awaiting lab results expected within the next few days.
When Royle’s mother finally did bathe, she was met with another issue: the water temperature had also been affected.
“She was thrilled to try to take a shower, but that didn't go so well. It was scalding hot so that shower was short-lived,” Royle said.
Residents at Brookdale Meridian Englewood said they pay between $4,000 and $8,000 per month in rent, raising questions about the facility's failure to provide basic necessities like water. Royle is now exploring other options for her mother.
“We have to trust people and rely on them to provide safe support... that confidence has been fractured,” she said.
In a statement, Brookdale assured that, “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our highest priority, and we are working diligently to resolve this issue.”
Brookdale Senior Living is the largest operator of senior housing in the country, with more than 640 communities across 41 states. While residents and their families believe local staff are doing their best, many see the water issue as a systemic problem originating from the company's upper management.