A hospital is the classic example of a building that absolutely should never be without safe, reliable running water, because patient care, surgery, sanitation, and infection control all depend on it.

Why running water is critical

  • Hospitals need constant water for handwashing, cleaning instruments, sterilization, and flushing toilets, all of which are essential to prevent the spread of disease.
  • Loss of running water quickly turns into a public health risk, because even basic hygiene (like washing hands between patients) becomes difficult or impossible.

Other buildings that really shouldn’t lose water

  • Nursing homes and long-term care facilities – Residents are often medically fragile and may be incontinent or need help with hygiene, so lack of water rapidly increases infection and dignity issues.
  • Dialysis centers and clinics – Many treatments (like dialysis) require large volumes of clean water and strict sanitary conditions.
  • Schools and daycare centers – Children are more vulnerable to illness, and poor hand hygiene plus shared spaces can trigger outbreaks if there is no water for toilets and sinks.

When buildings do operate without running water

  • Some off‑grid homes and homesteads function without traditional piping by using wells, rainwater catchment, stored water, and outhouses instead of flush toilets.
  • These setups can be safe when carefully designed, but they are usually small‑scale and private, not high‑occupancy public service buildings like hospitals or schools.

Quick forum-style takeaway

In any city or town, a “building that shouldn’t have running water” is really any place where many vulnerable people gather and depend on hygiene: hospitals first, then care homes, clinics, and schools.

TL;DR: A hospital is the number one building that should never be without running water, with care facilities, clinics, and schools close behind.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.