Some patients at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry remain without access to tap water nearly two days after a burst pipe disrupted the hospital’s water supply, with bottled water still being issued as a precaution.
The incident began after a major pipe burst on Glenshane Road interrupted water services to the hospital. While NI Water confirmed that repairs to the damaged pipe were completed on Tuesday, restrictions on tap water use have not yet been fully lifted in all wards.
The Western Health and Social Care Trust said the water supply had returned to normal levels on Wednesday but confirmed that additional controls remain in place to ensure patient safety.
Patients told BBC News NI they were still unable to use tap water around 48 hours after the initial disruption, raising concerns about hygiene, comfort and access to basic services during hospital care.
Precautionary Controls Still in Place
In a statement issued on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Western Trust said that any remaining restrictions were “purely precautionary” and linked to infection prevention and control requirements.
“Any enhanced infection prevention and control measures that remain in place in relation to the water supply incident at Altnagelvin Hospital are purely precautionary,” the spokesperson said.
The trust added that the measures were necessary “to allow final controls and checks to be assessed by the trust in partnership with our colleagues in NI Water.”
BBC News NI understands that some patients have been advised not to use tap water on their wards and are instead being supplied with bottled water four times a day, both for drinking and for brushing their teeth.
Patient Impact and Ongoing Monitoring
Hospital water disruptions can present particular challenges for vulnerable patients, including those with compromised immune systems, where infection control protocols are especially strict.
Northern Ireland’s health trusts routinely impose precautionary restrictions following water supply incidents until quality assurance testing is completed. Such measures are designed to minimise any potential risk, even after physical repairs have been carried out.
The Western Trust said it continues to monitor the situation closely and will lift remaining restrictions once all safety checks have been completed in full.
Infrastructure Strain on Health Facilities
The incident comes amid wider concerns about ageing infrastructure across parts of Northern Ireland, with hospitals increasingly vulnerable to service disruptions caused by utility failures.
Health experts have previously warned that even short-term disruptions to water supplies can place additional strain on already stretched hospital systems, particularly during periods of high patient demand.
NI Water and regional health authorities have faced repeated calls to accelerate infrastructure investment to reduce the risk of similar incidents affecting critical public services in the future.