Lack of Written Procedures for Emergency Water Supply
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to develop and maintain written procedures to ensure the availability of water in the event of a loss of the normal water supply. During the survey, it was found that there were no documented processes addressing both drinkable and non-drinkable water needs for the facility. The Administrator verbally reported a plan to provide 64 ounces of water per day for three days for all residents and staff, but this plan was not documented. Observations revealed that the facility's emergency water storage consisted of only 60 gallons, and while there was an agreement with a water delivery company, the documentation from the company did not guarantee supply during high demand and did not address non-drinkable water needs. The surveyor reviewed the facility's emergency preparedness program and found it lacked written policies detailing how water needs would be met during a water outage. The documentation provided by the water delivery company only estimated purified drinking water needs and did not include recommendations for non-drinkable water. During a meeting with facility leadership, the absence of a written process for both drinkable and non-drinkable water provision in the event of a water supply loss was discussed.