South Bay Correctional Facility via Florida Department of Corrections
Inmates at South Bay Correctional Facility, a private state prison for men located in Palm Beach County, went without water for parts of Sunday and Monday, according to accounts by loved ones of inmates at the facility, which is run by the GEO Group.
The situation became a topic for discussion among prison reform advocates in Florida on social media on Tuesday.
“Access to clean water is a basic human right, and such conditions could pose serious health risks to the incarcerated individuals,” said Lindsey Prouty on X.
“Inhumane!! Any other place would have many people investigating and responding immediately!! We wouldn’t allow animals to be kept this way! What does this say when we treat people like this?” said prison reform advocate Danielle Wa on X.
The Florida Department of Corrections told the Phoenix in a written statement on Tuesday morning that South Bay Correctional is undergoing “routine plumbing repairs which occasionally requires technicians to temporarily turn off the water supply to a specific building. Anytime drinking water becomes temporarily unavailable due to repairs or maintenance, other accommodations such as providing bottled water, is made until normal operations resume.”
That statement fails to address the broader and “more concerning reality” at South Bay Correctional, said Denise Rock, executive director with Florida Cares, a prison reform advocacy group.
“Temporary water shutoffs for routine plumbing repairs should not result in prisoners being left without reliable access to water for days at a time,” Rock told the Phoenix in a text message. “Multiple reports from within the facility indicate that this disruption was not ‘routine,’ it involves something with the lift station.”
Rock said she has received reports from loved ones of inmates at South Bay Correctional as late as 6 a.m. on Tuesday that they had not had running water since 2 p.m. on Sunday. “Numerous people reported” that they were provided with one bucket of water Monday morning to flush their toilet and nothing after 8 p.m. on Monday, when they were provided with four small bottles of water, she said.
“Clearly this is inhumane and unacceptable,” she said, adding that all incarcerated individuals should receive bottled water within two hours of a water shortage. She cited “multiple credible reports” of inmates going without water for more than 24 hours.
“FDC has a responsibility to ensure that all individuals in its care have continuous access to water,” she added.
An official with the GEO Group told the Phoenix they would not comment about the situation.
“We would refer to the Florida Department of Corrections,” said Christopher V. Ferreira, director of corporate relations for the GEO Group.