Another leak leaves Nebraska State Penitentiary without running water for hours

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Inmates at the Nebraska State Penitentiary were without running water for several hours, officials say.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said there was a major water leak at the prison Wednesday night.

Because of the leak, water was shut off to the entire facility, spokeswoman Dayne Urbanovsky said.

SEE ALSO: 600 inmates impacted by water pipe leak at Nebraska State Penitentiary, officials say

Bottled water was brought to the inmates, she said, and portable toilets were placed on prison grounds.

The leak has been fixed, and the water was turned back on Thursday afternoon, according to the department.

Urbanovsky said that the penitentiary is an aging facility and that “water is a continuous issue we are addressing.”

SEE ALSO: Water leak closes housing unit at Nebraska State Penitentiary

The prison’s water problems sprung up in 2021, when a leak led to the water being shut off for a day.

Another leak in 2022 flooded a mechanical room and left behind 2½ feet of mud.

The state plans to replace the penitentiary with a new facility at 70th and McKelvie streets, just north of Interstate 80.

Construction is expected to begin September and finish by 2027.