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Another Arizona state prison complex facing water shortage issues

The Yuma prison complex is the second state facility to experience water issues this month.
Credit: Thinkstock
Old priston with it's bars locked up

PHOENIX — An Arizona state prison complex was experiencing water issues on Sunday, officials said. 

The state Department of Corrections said the Yuma prison complex in San Luis was experiencing "dual pump failures" that limited the ability to draw from on-site wells, forcing officials to enact water conservation measures. 

Three of the housing units did not have access to showers, sinks, toilets or laundry, and two others did not have showers or laundry. 

This was being done to "conserve available water resources," officials said. 

Prison officials were distributing more than 30,000 bottles of water to inmates, visitors and staff, and inmates could get water from water igloos throughout the units. 

Inmates could also use portable toilets and hand sanitation. 

Contractors were expected to start repairing the pumps by 6 p.m. Sunday and could work until Monday. 

It was the second prison to experience water issues this month. 

Corrections officials announced June 8 that the prison complex in the southeastern city of Douglas was experiencing low water pressure because of an issue with the municipal water system.

Water at the complex, which houses approximately 2,000 inmates, was completely shut off for a short time so crews could work on repairing a leak and digging another well after one went dry. 

Water service was restored June 11. 

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