The boil water order at Saskatoon City Hospital has been lifted.
The order that was put in place on Monday evening was lifted late Friday morning following two clean water tests.
“We had two clear tests of the water supply, taken 24 hours apart, so public health is satisfied that the water is safe to consume and for use throughout the hospital,” Dr. Johnmark Opondo, deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region, said in a statement.
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The boil water order was put in place after discoloured water was seen Monday afternoon.
Officials believe it was caused by an eight foot corroded pipe near the hospital’s water intake system.
The pipe was replaced on Tuesday afternoon and a floor-by-floor flushing of the hospital’s water system took place Wednesday morning.
Water was then sent for testing and a second sample was sent on Thursday.
Both results showed the water was clear with no chemical or biological issues.
It was originally thought it would be Saturday afternoon before the test results would be returned, but the Saskatchewan Research Lab prioritized the testing and returned the results sooner than expected.
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“We are extremely happy to be able to get back to normal operations today,” Karen Newman, site leader for Saskatoon City Hospital, said in a statement.
“While we realize that this was a huge inconvenience, we decided on the side of caution to ensure the safety of our patients and staff. We are happy that the results of the water quality testing mean that we can resume normal operations immediately.”
Now staff have to deal with a backlog of postponed surgeries and procedures.
In total, 113 non-urgent surgeries were postponed, along with some ambulatory procedures, including 129 endoscopies.
“We appreciate the understanding of patients who have had their care delayed, and hope to accommodate the needs of each of those affected as soon as possible,” Newman said.
Officials said they are working with surgeons and doctors and while some patients have already had their surgeries or procedures rescheduled, others will be rescheduled in the coming months.
Staff will now spend this weekend preparing equipment and resources for a return to normal operations on Monday.
With files from Ryan Kellser
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