Samaritan Medical Center in Waterton, N.Y., is pausing some clinical services and rescheduling surgeries due to a major water main break, the hospital said Oct. 19.
The water main break occurred the morning of Oct. 19 outside Waterton's main water treatment facility. As of 2 p.m., Mayor Jeffrey Smith said the city's reservoirs were completely depleted and that all the water left is what is in the pipes, according to The Watertown Daily Times. Once the break is located and repaired, it will take 24 to 36 hours to refill the reservoirs.
Samaritan Medical Center enacted its water loss emergency operation plan and has limited visitation to its emergency department and inpatient units. The hospital has postponed all surgical and outpatient procedures scheduled for Oct. 20. All outpatient MRI and CT appointments for Oct. 19 were canceled, and several medical clinics affiliated with the hospital closed early.
"We are seeing a significant water pressure drop," the hospital said. "Samaritan locations within the city are conserving water in multiple ways from halting laundry services, to limiting patient and resident showering with bedside baths. We are also delivering bottled water to all areas and preparing for a delay in water delivery. … We continue to monitor our water pressure and supply and will make decisions about specific patient services as the situation progresses."