For about four hours on Monday, February 26th, all residents and businesses on Dean Street between Vanderbilt and Carlton lost their water. Among those impacted were a family shelter with 350 clients and at least two water-dependent manufacturers on the block, including a tofu manufacturer and a uniform laundry business. Both lost half a day of work.

The greatest mishap of the day was the lack of information provided by those connected to the project when asked to explain. Peter Krashes of the Dean Street Block Association spent the afternoon talking to different representatives from Forest City Ratner, the plumbing contractor and the Department of Enviromental Protection.

When Peter originally heard about the water shut-off around 1:00 pm he called the community liaison at the two numbers provided to him the previous Friday. Around 3:30pm he eventually reached the community liason – at a third number – but the liason had little helpful information. To date, the community liaison's office has not followed up with the community about the incident.

The incident raises several important questions:

• Who is right now overseeing FCRC’s construction work on the Atlantic Yards Project?
• Who do we turn to if FCRC’s community liaison office is not helpful?
• What specific aspects of the construction will the ESDC’s environmental monitor oversee? When will that monitor be appointed?
• Who is listening to the community's concerns, and how does the community give meaningful input?