Local hospitals are hit by widespread water problems in the Austin area, following severe weather this week.
St. David’s South Austin Medical Center said it lost the city’s water pressure on Wednesday, causing a series of problems.
“Water feeds the boiler into the plant, so it also loses heat,” said David Huffstutler, chief executive of St. Louis. David’s HealthCare, said in a statement.
Huffstutler said the hospital is working with city officials to rectify the situation. Meanwhile, hospital and city services officials are finding transport to get patients “who can be medically discharged safely”.
Other patients are sent to hospitals with capacity. St David’s South Austin Medical Center currently has just under 300 patients, officials said.
“Because it is a nationwide emergency that is affecting other hospitals in the Austin area as well,” Huffstutler said, “no hospital is currently able to accommodate a large number of patients.”
St. David’s gives out water bottles and jugs to patients and staff to drink and wash their hands. It’s a way to get portable toilets, officials said.
“Through our national partner, HCA Healthcare, we are able to obtain the food, linen, medication and necessities needed to care for and serve our patients,” Huffstutler said.
Employees currently scheduled to work are asked to stay in the hospital.
Seton hospitals in the area are also facing water problems.
A spokesman for Ascension Seton said in a statement that “extreme weather conditions have caused alternating water problems at several Ascension Seton facilities” and he is working to resolve these issues.
“All Ascension Seton hospitals have emergency response plans to provide uninterrupted patient care, including access to backup generators for each care area,” a spokesman said in a statement. “Our hospitals prepare for a variety of emergencies throughout the year, which include testing backup power sources and regularly reviewing and updating emergency response plans.”
Ascension Seton officials say they are rescheduling electives.
St David’s officials also announced that they were canceling “all non-emergent procedures” for the time being.