Failure to Maintain Hot Water Supply Due to Mechanical Equipment Breakdown
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain all mechanical equipment in safe operating condition, resulting in the lack of hot water accessible to residents throughout the building. During a facility tour, multiple resident-accessible sinks and showers on all floors were found to have water temperatures significantly below the required range, with some fixtures having no water supply at all. The issue was traced to a malfunctioning hot water mixing valve, which was leaking and caused flooding in the boiler room. The leaking water extinguished the boiler's pilot light, further preventing the restoration of hot water. The Maintenance Director was aware of the issue but did not inform the surveyor during the initial tour. Facility records indicated that the hot water mixing valve had failed due to corrosion and age, and the correct replacement part was not immediately available. The Corporate Project Manager confirmed ongoing difficulties in sourcing the correct mixing valve and restarting the boiler. The Administrator was notified of the hot water outage and instructed staff to provide bed baths and use wipes for ADL care instead of showers. The facility did not have a preventative maintenance program for the plumbing system, and hot water logs confirmed that water temperatures remained below regulatory requirements for several days.