The Department of Residence relocated the residents of MacDonald House in Helser Hall Wednesday evening because mercury-contaminated carpeting in the house had to be replaced.

The residents of MacDonald House, which is located on the first floor of South Helser Hall, first noticed mercury droplets on their bathroom floor Sunday. The students reported the mercury to the department on Monday.

Randy Alexander, director of the Department of Residence, said 11 residents of MacDonald House are staying in the Memorial Union hotel. The other residents are staying in other residence halls or with friends and family.

Alexander said the residents may have tracked mercury out of the bathroom, and as a result, the carpeting on MacDonald House must be replaced.

Workers are currently undergoing the task of removing the carpeting, which is difficult due to asbestos tiling underneath the floor covering, Alexander said.

Alexander said he is not yet sure how much the cleanup is going to cost the department.

“It won’t be cheap,” he said. “The disposal of hazardous material is pretty expensive.”

Alexander also said department officials want to be “100 percent sure” that all remnants of mercury are taken out of MacDonald House.

“We don’t want to take any chances,” he said.

Alexander said department officials are hoping the house will be ready for its residents before Sunday evening.

“That’s the goal,” Alexander said, adding that it will be possible if the asbestos tiling does not cause complications.

Alexander said the residents are handling the situation well.

“I’m sure they’re not excited about [having to move out],” Alexander said. “But they understand why it needs to be done.”

However, one resident of the house is unhappy with the way the Department of Residence has dealt with the relocation.

Bret Winterle, president of MacDonald House and junior in mechanical engineering, said he is very displeased with the situation.

Winterle is currently staying at the Memorial Union, but he said he was asked to leave the hotel on Saturday before the MacDonald House cleanup is expected to be completed.

Winterle also said several of his floormates have expressed displeasure at being relocated to the Towers Residence Halls, because of the inconvenience of not having parking spaces and having to use the bus.

Winterle said he blames the Department of Residence for the situation.

“I shouldn’t have to move twice,” he said. “I don’t think we’re being treated fairly; [department officials] misrepresented where they’re going to put us.”

Winterle said he thinks the department is “being cheap about the matter.”

“They pretended we were going to have decent accommodations, and they turned their backs as soon as the cameras were off,” he said.

Sean Schmidt, sophomore in political science and resident of MacDonald House, said he thinks the residence department is doing the best it can.

“I think the overall situation was really tough to handle,” he said.

Schmidt is currently living in the Memorial Union hotel, but he said he and his roommate have to stay in Towers for the weekend.

Schmidt decided to go home for the weekend, but he said it is going to be tough for his roommate to “move all his stuff, especially to Towers.”

Schmidt and his roommate, Jon Johnson, sophomore in electrical engineering, had the dorm room with the highest traces of mercury — 0.0277 milligrams per cubic centimeter.

Schmidt said he is not too concerned about mercury poisoning and does not plan on getting tested.

Schmidt said although the accommodations at Towers are nice, he is “definitely” looking forward to returning to MacDonald House.

“Hopefully, they’ll be done Sunday,” he said. “I haven’t heard anything that might change that.”

Only one resident from MacDonald House has been tested for mercury poisoning at the Student Health Center, Alexander said.

“None of the residents are showing any symptoms,” Alexander said.

The Department of Residence will pay the $43 fee for any resident who wants to get tested for mercury poisoning, Alexander said.

The investigation of how the mercury got into the bathroom is ongoing.

Loras Jaeger, director of the Department of Public Safety, said DPS is still trying to determine where mercury could be obtained from on campus.

“We are still trying to solicit any information anyone might have,” he said.

DPS is offering a cash reward of $1,000 for anyone with information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.