Understand
Water supply issues at HMP Barlinnie highlight ageing prison estate problems
Overview
Scotland's prison watchdog has warned that recent water supply disruptions at HMP Barlinnie are a symptom of an ageing and inadequate estate. Inmates at the country's largest jail have experienced issues with flushing toilets and intermittent access to hot water for seven days, exacerbated by severe overcrowding. The Scottish Prison Service stated that repair work is ongoing and contingency measures, such as bottled water and mobile water tanks, have been implemented.
Key points
- HMP Barlinnie has suffered water supply issues for seven days, leaving some inmates unable to flush cell toilets and facing intermittent hot water access.
- Chief Inspector of Prisons Sara Snell stated that overcrowding has exacerbated existing problems with inadequate infrastructure at Scotland's largest jail.
- During a recent inspection, the prison held 1,415 men, which is almost 400 over its designed capacity of 1,021.
- The Scottish Prison Service has implemented contingency measures, including distributing bottled water and deploying mobile water tanks for toilets and showers.
- A replacement facility, HMP Glasgow, is expected to open in 2028 at a cost of nearly £1bn to replace the 143-year-old Barlinnie prison.