There will be no hot water in much of the Yard on Saturday due to repairs on a leaking water valve.

Hot water will be shut off from dorms and academic buildings in the north and central Yard between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. according to Kathleen A. Bray-Stazinski, superintendent of first-year dormitories.

The defective valve between Thayer Hall and Memorial Church must be replaced before it bursts, said Bray-Stazinski.

"We feel the valve will hold to the weekend, when we'll replace it in a controlled situation," said Charles W. Gordon, an area supervisor in the facilities maintenance department. He added a valve rupture "would be a major disruption."

The shutdown will affect Hollis, Stoughton, Lionel, Mower, Holworthy, Canaday and Thayer Halls.

The valve will be repaired on Saturday when Yard buildings such as Emerson Hall, Sever Hall, Widener Library and Houghton Library see less traffic, according to Bray-Stazinski.

Gordon said he did not think the leak had already affected first-year students. But Matt A. Gentzkow '96 said, "The water has been a lot colder since we got back [from winter vacation]."

North Yard Undergraduate Council member Austin W. So '96 agreed that the "water's not as hot."

Most students interviewed yesterday echoed the comments of another North Yard council member Peter S. Cahn '96, who said that the shutdown "is an inconvenience, but it's necessary."

But there were still grumbles. Eric L. Save de Beaurecueil ~'96, said he was "surprised they would shut it down for that long, especially on Saturday, a big shower day."