A Nova Scotia Health spokesperson said a second water main break occurred early on Thursday morning while crews were attending to the original break at the QEII Halifax Infirmary.
The water main break means there's no running water for flushing toilets or drinking. All elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures are being cancelled and rescheduled.
The ground breaking ceremony comes with the promise of less beds than originally planned, a smaller design and near half the size of what was originally proposed.