PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – A temporary fix has restored water service to most of the Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
The prison in Prince Albert was without any water for three days after a main collapsed and the flow had to be shut off.
The fix Monday night ties into another line, so showers and toilets are again working normally.
Penitentiary spokesman Darcy Begrand said the institution’s minimum-security unit was still without water, but it was hoped service would be restored soon.
Officials are unsure when the water main will be repaired.
The prison’s more than 800 inmates have had a modified routine that limits their movement in the penitentiary.
Under normal circumstances, inmates are allowed to attend work, school or programs within the institution, Begrand said.
“But when there’s a situation like this, it’s not conducive to making things work properly or getting a repair done quickly when you’ve also got inmates moving around the institution,” he said.
“Plus, there’s the added part of the security issue of having heavy equipment … tools and contractors coming in.”
The institution had suspended normal operations and limited inmates to “open time” on their ranges rather than moving throughout the prison, Begrand said.
Portable toilets were brought in for staff and inmates, but with water flow mostly restored, washroom facilities are no longer an issue, he added.
It’s not known what caused the water main to collapse.
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