Construction crews are racing to drain water from the site of Oslo's new national hospital after a pipe burst flooded the area. The leak occurred in a temporary water line serving Rikshospitalet during ongoing construction work.
Communications advisor Bjørn Hødal from the health authority said engineers are working to remove the water. "We have substantial water where construction is planned," he stated. "The water will be pumped out through our treatment facility, which is our main focus today."
Engineers are investigating what caused the pipe failure while developing a better solution. The goal is to clear the water and establish a new system before construction workers return on Monday.
The Friday night leak left several hospital departments completely without water. Oslo municipality issued a boil water advisory affecting approximately 6,800 residents in the Gaustad, TÃ¥sen, and Berg neighborhoods. The advisory remains in effect until midnight Saturday and includes Rikshospitalet itself, requiring bottled water usage.
The timing creates additional pressure for the major hospital construction project, which cannot afford extended delays. This incident highlights the challenges of maintaining hospital operations during major infrastructure work.
What caused the pipe failure? Engineers are still determining why the temporary water line ruptured and are working to implement a more reliable solution.
How many people are affected? About 6,800 residents in surrounding neighborhoods plus hospital staff and patients must use bottled water until the advisory lifts.