King Edward VII Memorial Hospital went without water for two days - leaving patients and staff to live and work in unhygienic conditions.

Patients were unable to bathe, laundry was not washed and physicians were unable to sterilise instruments - resulting in a cancellation of operations. And staff who needed to use the bathroom had to go to the Botanical Gardens.

One hospital source, who did not wish to be named, said that, because of a problem with the pump, the water supply was "off and on" on Monday and non-existent yesterday.

Last night a Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) spokeswoman confirmed that water and air-conditioning had been off in some parts of the hospital since Monday afternoon but the fault had now been repaired.

The wife of one patient, who did not wish to be named, confirmed that patients had suffered because of the lack of water, "The water came back on yesterday for a little while, but then it went back off again," she said.

"This makes it impossible to flush toilets, clean out bed pans, or for patients to even wash themselves."

She added that, along with the water work problems, there had been two false fire alarms and telephones had not been working - leaving hospital staff to communicate by walkie-talkie.

Her husband said: "The water has been off again today and they gave me a bottle of sterile water for washing my face and hands. I can't wash my hands, I can't use the toilet, the nurses can't even use the bed pan - where are they going to pour it? It is extra work for the staff."

"I'm not sure if it is mis-management of funds and I am not sure if management know about this," said his wife. These things happen, but they cannot keep happening. Whose paying for this - we are."

A hospital nurse told The Royal Gazette the water was also off at Agape House, the hospice for terminally ill patients.

Last night BHB's chief executive officer Joan Dillas-Wright said: "We are happy to report that the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's entire water supply and most air conditioning services are now functioning as usual and have been since 1 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

"All normal hospital services have resumed. Hospital facilities management staff and Bermuda Air Conditioning continue to work on the remaining air conditioning units.

"In the meantime fans are still in place for those patients who want them." Ms Dillas-Wright added that the dialysis unit will be closed today as it used its reserve water supply, which is standard for all dialysis units, yesterday.