Hospital Accidentally Used Toilet Water For Drinking For Almost 30 Years

Staff and patients at a Japanese hospital came to the troubling realisation that they had been accidentally drank toilet water instead of drinking water for almost 30 years.

According to Japanese News Outlet Yomiuri Shimbun, some of the tap water pipes in specific areas of the school’s department weren’t fitted correctly, which meant that the drinking water pipes were connected to the toilets.

The obvious health and safety issue at Osaka University hospital in Suita, Japan was only discovered last month during an inspection when the hospital decided to construct a new building. Around 120 taps were declared faulty.

Hospital staff and patients had been using the unsafe toilet water for drinking, washing hands, and gargling since the site opened in 1993.

The university said it would investigate the matter and though the water quality is being checked, no health hazard has been confirmed. They also claimed to check the colour, smell, and taste of water at least once a week and no problems had been reported since records began in 2014. 

Director and Vice President Kazuhiko Nakatani issued an apology for former patients and staff members.

“I am very sorry that the university hospital that provides advanced medical care has caused anxiety,” he said.

He added that the school will regularly check the connection of their water pipes from here on in.