Those incarcerated at the Nebraska State Penitentiary and the staff members who watch over them have been without running water since Tuesday afternoon, according to the inspector general of the state's correctional system.
"Neither group has a water source," Doug Koebernick told the Journal Star on Wednesday.
Koebernick said a plumbing issue that affected the Lincoln facility Tuesday afternoon appears to be the root of the malfunction.
The Department of Correctional Services summoned a plumbing service to the 152-year-old penitentiary, and crews have been on site continuously since Tuesday afternoon, said Laura Strimple, a department spokesperson.
Strimple said the facility's water was shut off in order to fix several leaking pipes, a process she said "will take time to complete." It's unclear exactly how long the facility will be without running water, she said.
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In the meantime, the department has brought in bottled water and portable bathrooms. Strimple said staff members and incarcerated individuals were warned ahead of time that the water would be shut off. She said leaking pipes are an ongoing issue at the penitentiary.
Those incarcerated at the facility won't be able to shower until water service is restored, Strimple said.Â
The inspector general said his office had been flooded with dozens of calls Wednesday morning from family members of people incarcerated at the facility, as well as inmates themselves.
Koebernick said an inmate Wednesday afternoon told him he had been supplied with one bottle of water and that he'd seen portable bathrooms arriving at the prison, but it's unclear if they're yet available for use. Strimple indicated they are operational for both staff members and inmates.Â
Koebernick said his office received its first call on the water issue Tuesday afternoon.Â
"They're in a tough situation," he said of the Department of Correctional Services. "This is not something you really plan for."Â
It's unclear how the water shut-off will affect the prison's kitchen or the meals it serves. Strimple said the facility could provide cold food items if necessary, but the prison served hot food for lunch Wednesday.Â
Strimple said the shutdown is also limiting external mobility for inmates, citing the presence of work crews. But internal movement, including visitation, remains intact, she said. Â