By Nigel Maxwell

Prince Albert’s jails stocking up on bottled water

Feb 8, 2012 | 4:29 PM

Prince Albert's correctional facilities are stocking up on jugs of water in lieu of the boil water order.

Through their supplier, both Pine Grove and the Prince Albert Correctional Centre have been ordering in five gallon jugs of water for the inmates and staff.

“The number of bottles that Pine Grove is going through is estimated at 10 large bottles a day,” said Judy Orthner, Executive Director of Communications for the Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing.

Orthner said it would be much more for the men's jail, which are three or four times larger.

The Saskatchewan Penitentiary is also supplying bottled water to the inmates of the facility instead of boiling water.

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Media liaison for the penitentiary Darcy Begrand said the inmates don’t have the means to boil water and it would be impossible to boil enough to keep up with the demand in their facilities.

“I don’t think we have the capabilities to provide (boiled water) to over 800 inmates,” Begrand said.

He added that he can understand frustrations in the public about supplying this to their inmates but said the government will cover the costs at their own facilities. He said bottled water is what the institution has decided is the most operationally practical means of complying with safe water requirements.

“They are under our supervision. They are housed at our facility involuntarily so we have a legal obligation to provide that for them,” he said.

In an effort to conserve water the PA Correctional Centre suspended laundry operations when the boil water advisory was first enacted. The staff met on Wednesday to discuss an alternate laundry schedule.

“There is no question that this situation has had an impact on the facilities. We had to locate a water supplier and we are paying for water that we would not normally be paying for,” Orthner said.

She said they are making sure that inmates and staff are aware of the situation. The health region advisories are posted in both full facilities. Staff members are holding unit meetings with the inmates as well to make sure they understand what is going on.

nmaxwell@panow.com