A broken water pipe at the Nebraska State Penitentiary on Friday impacted 600 inmates in four minimum-custody housing units, according to a release from the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.
The cause of the break has not been determined, but contractors arrived to the scene Friday evening to assess. Digging has started where the break took place, and repairs will begin as soon as the cause is determined.
Portable restrooms and bottled water were brought to the penitentiary for those affected, according to the release.
Nebraska State Penitentiary warden Michele Wilhelm said they hoped to have water restored by Saturday. If that is not possible, she said that the prison will take additional action to ensure inmates have restrooms, bottled water and showers.
"Admittedly, that will depend on identifying the initial break and ensuring no other leaks happen as the water is restored, which can sometimes occur with older pipes," Wilhelm said.
Nebraska’s top corrections official made a pitch in February for lawmakers to finally sign off on building a new $335 million prison.
Diane Sabatka-Rine, interim director for the Department of Correctional Services, said the deterioration of the Nebraska State Penitentiary and the rising cost of construction mean the long-discussed project needs to move forward.
The 1,512-bed prison has been proposed as a replacement for the aging penitentiary, where a major water leak in one housing unit forced the relocation of 140 men in November. A similar leak last year left the Lincoln prison without running water for nearly two days.
Sabatka-Rine said such problems are likely to be repeated in a facility that includes the oldest buildings in the state prison system. The penitentiary is designed to hold 818 people, but currently houses about 1,200 men in maximum-, medium- and minimum-security units.
Photos: 1955 siege of the Nebraska State Penitentiary