Water Main Break Floods Cleveland Clinic Akron General

Emergency department diverts patients as crews work to restore service

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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A water main break early Saturday caused flooding outside and inside Cleveland Clinic Akron General, disrupting emergency services and forcing some patients to be diverted to other facilities while crews worked to restore service, according to the city of Akron.

Why it matters

Water main breaks can have significant impacts on hospitals and emergency services, potentially disrupting critical care and putting patient safety at risk. This incident highlights the importance of maintaining robust infrastructure and emergency preparedness plans for healthcare facilities.

The details

The break happened just before 4 a.m. on a 12-inch water line located directly across the street from the hospital's emergency department entrance. The first floor of the main hospital building was affected, but no other downtown structures reported issues. The emergency department temporarily diverted ambulance traffic as repairs continued.

  • The water main break occurred just before 4 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
  • Repairs were estimated to take 4 to 6 hours to fully restore water service, as of 10:30 a.m. on February 7, 2026.

The players

Cleveland Clinic Akron General

A hospital in Akron, Ohio that was impacted by the water main break.

Akron Water Department

The local water utility that responded to the water main break and assisted with repairs.

Kenmore Construction

The contractor excavating the site to access and repair the damaged water line.

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What’s next

Once the water line is repaired, the hospital will work to resume normal emergency department operations and patient care.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining reliable infrastructure, particularly for essential services like hospitals, and the need for robust emergency preparedness plans to minimize disruptions to patient care during unexpected events.