Halifax hospital complex to return to normal operations Monday

Nova Scotia's health authority says operations at a Halifax hospital complex will be back to normal as of Monday, after two water main breaks earlier this week.

The site that includes the Halifax Infirmary, the Veterans Memorial building and the Abbie J. Lane building lost water and heat midday Wednesday after an initial break in a water main line in the steam plant.

That line was repaired, but there was a second break in the same pipe around midnight.

The Halifax Infirmary includes an emergency department as well as inpatient and surgery units, while the Veterans Memorial building has more than 200 long-term care patients. The Abbie J. Lane provides mental health and addictions services.

In a news release Friday afternoon, Nova Scotia Health said visitor restrictions had been lifted.

Some surgeries and procedures were cancelled or moved to other locations, bottled water was brought in and portable handwashing stations and washrooms were set up near main entrances.

Heat and water have since been restored to the site. However, as of Friday morning, the water was not safe to drink and the fire suppression system remained out of service.

Derek Spinney, vice-president of corporate services for Nova Scotia Health, said water testing is underway. He said it will take several days to ensure it is safe to drink.

He said the fire marshal has also been notified about the suppression system being down.

On Thursday, Nova Scotia Health said only emergency and time-sensitive surgeries would go ahead on Friday.

"Our staff are the most resilient that you'll find, I think, in the country when it comes to health care. They've done an amazing job," Spinney told CBC Radio's Information Morning Halifax on Friday.

Information Morning - NS6:56How two water main breaks caused major disruptions at Halifax hospital

Update from the Nova Scotia Health Authority on the back-to-back water main breaks at the QEII Halifax Infirmary that left the hospital complex without running water, flushing toilets, and heat. Some surgeries and procedures were cancelled, or moved to other locations.

Spinney said fewer than 50 surgeries were cancelled over two days, and they're in the process of being rescheduled.

"When these things happen, we're able to divert to other sites and place patients where they can get the appropriate care," he said.

"And in fact, no traumas were turned away from that centre through this process and we're very, very pleased."