As a result of a leak in underground squash courts used for summer storage, many Lowell House residents returned to campus this fall to find their belongings mildewed and water-damaged.

But it is not yet clear whether the students will be reimbursed for the damage to their possessions.

"I don't know what the policy will be this time," said Lowell House Master William H. Bossert '59.

He said students would "probably not" be reimbursed unless it could be determined that the damage was "obviously the result of negligence on our part."

"Particularly this year with our construction, we warned people just not to [store items]," Bossert said.

Currently, Lowell House is undergoing both exterior and interior renovations.

Richard A. Wilmot '97--whose losses included a tuxedo and a down winter coat--estimated he is out at least $1,800.

"It was all just mildewed and stained," Wilmot said.

Of the seven boxes he left in storage, "everything" in four of them "was pretty much destroyed," he said.

Items of sentimental value--such as a high school award belonging to Chris W. Hilton '97--were damaged, too.

"It really isn't that important to me," Hilton said. "It wasn't a big deal."

Wilmot said he believes the University should pay for the students' damages. He said Lowell House Superintendent Jay W. Coveney and his assistant told him the flooding was caused by a broken toilet pipe.

"I just think that's negligent on their part," Wilmot said.

Although Coveney said he does not know the cause of the leak, he insisted he and his staff were not negligent in watching the students' belongings.

"We are not responsible," Superintendent Jay W. Coveney said. "We did not intend for anything to get damaged."

The superintendent said students store items at their own risk.

Although Bossert acknowledged that some plumbing work was done in the house over the summer as part of ongoing renovations, he asserted the flood probably has nothing to do with recent plumbing projects.

"I very much suspect that this was just seepage," Bossert said, citing the fact that the Lowell House basement is below the water table.

"Lowell House is actually floating in the ground water of the Charles River."

Laura C. Semerjian contributed to the reporting of this story.