ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – An unusual emergency impacted thousands of people at Mayo Clinic-Saint Marys on Monday–the water in the complex was declared unfit to drink.
Signs were up all over the campus directing people: "do not drink the water."
When people flushed toilets at Saint Marys, dark-colored water came into the toilet from water supply lines.
On the internal Mayo Clinic News Network, the direction to staff was more specific, saying, "Refrain from consuming the water and using it in clinical care until further notice."
Mayo leadership said bottled water would be given to Saint Marys hospital units for medication administration.
After 3 p.m. any Saint Marys units that needed more bottled water were instructed to call an emergency phone line.
However, as of 8 p.m., the only official statement from Mayo Clinic’s public affairs team was that there was an awareness of the water quality problem.
"We are aware of the issue and are working to determine the cause.
I will let you know when I have more information to share," said Mayo Clinic spokesperson Sharon Theimer.
"We have backup plans in place to manage this issue."