Water Use in Hospitals
According to the EPA, medical facilities are the third largest consumers of water in the U.S., measured in water use intensityopen_in_new (WUI). Heating, cooling, humidification, drinking, bathing, and cleaning are just some of the ongoing medical facility needs which require water. Given the sterile nature and high health standards required of a hospital, rehabilitation, or long-term medical facility, water safety needs to be carefully considered. When incorporated into existing water management programs, ultraviolet disinfection can help prevent the spread of disease.
An estimated 65% of HAIs are associated with wet biofilms, or the presence of moisture or liquid.
Patients Require the Safest Water in Medical Facilities
By nature, the welfare of a hospital patient is of utmost importance. A patient’s health is already compromised to some degree, and their immune system may be fighting off certain diseases. It is imperative that they are given the purest quality water—whether for drinking or another purpose. If it harbors any trace of contaminants, the threat of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) increases. Immune-compromised patients, the elderly, burn patients, smokers, and those undergoing chemotherapy, organ, or bone marrow transplants are all more susceptibleopen_in_new to these contaminants.
Sources of Infection in Medical Facilities
According to the CDCopen_in_new, infections and colonizations in healthcare facilities originate from the following sources:
- Medical instruments improperly sterilized
- Insufficiently cleaned dialyzers and infusion devices
- Drinking water / ice machines
- Laboratory solutions
- Hydrotherapy tanks and pools
- Aerosols from shower heads and other water sources
- Cooling towers and condensers
- Sink and drain splashing
- Faucets and handles
- Building water systems (also known as premise plumbingopen_in_new)
Using contaminated wateropen_in_new to clean room surfaces, medical devices, and neonatal incubatorsopen_in_new is an open invitation for microorganisms to grow and spread, resulting in waterborne infections among patients, especially the immuno-compromised. Toilet flushing and mists from faucets are also ways that waterborne microbes disperse in healthcare environments, allowing bacteria to colonize and spread.
The transmission of Legionella has been detected particularly in decorative fountains with submersed lightingopen_in_new, which creates a warm environment favorable to its growth. Other sources of water contaminants within medical facilities include eyewash stations, dental unit water lines, dialysis water, and flowers sitting in stagnant water.
A Plan for Waterborne Risks in Medical Facilities
As described above, hospital water systems can be a threat to patient healthopen_in_new. It is incumbent upon healthcare facilities to reduce water-based risks through proper means of prevention and management. In its 2018 document Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systemsopen_in_new, ASHRAE recommends establishing a program team to analyze, devise, and implement a Water Safety Plan (WSP). Doing so ensures overall system hygiene in buildings like hospitals and other medical facilities.
According to the CDC, the principles of effective water managementopen_in_new include:
- Ensuring adequate disinfection
- Maintaining devices to prevent sediment, scale, corrosion, and biofilm (The presence of these provides a habitat and nutrients for waterborne microorganisms.)
- Maintaining water temperatures to limit bacteria growth
- Preventing water stagnation
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UV Disinfection as Part of a Whole-Facility Solution
The adequate disinfection described above will involve more than chlorine or other chemicals. UV disinfection is recognized as a safe and effective addition to your existing water management program. It addresses the most common hospital infections and outbreaks from Serratia, Pseudomonas, and Legionella bacteria, which are listed by the CDC as opportunistic pathogensopen_in_new of premise plumbing. View our entire list of microorganisms treated with UV-C.
Conventional water filtration at the point of entry into a building may be effective in removing the larger minerals and sediment present in municipal water. However, it most likely allows certain microorganisms through. For this reason, ultraviolet disinfection is a great solution for eliminating these threats before they are dispersed throughout the building’s water supply and jeopardize the health of patients.
Consider installing water quality treatment technologies such as … ultraviolet disinfection … to remove impurities and contaminants from water sources. By investing in such technologies, facilities can be assured of optimal sterilization, equipment performance, and effectiveness in reducing waterborne pathogens and endotoxins.
Monitoring & Maintenance
Once your water management program is established, regularly monitor key areas for potentially hazardous conditions. An effective program will be tailored to your facility with predetermined responses for when control measures aren’t met. As part of your routine maintenance, have your water tested to ensure the water supply in your healthcare facility isn’t harboring pathogens. Failed water tests should be immediately addressed.
Waterborne contaminants finding their way into hospitals is particularly a concern in low-to-middle income countriesopen_in_new, since the infrastructure which governs these facilities is often inadequate or damaged. Broken pipes and sub-standard maintenance (resulting in corrosion within water distribution lines) lead to corruption of the water supply. Impurities like fecal matter are introduced into drinking water, which of course leads to bacterial infection.
UV Solutions for Medical Facility Water
Discovered in the early 1900s, UV disinfection exposes contaminants to shortwave ultraviolet light at 254 nanometers. This wavelength has been found to be extremely effective at attacking the DNA of microorganisms, disrupting it to the point that they are unable to reproduce and are ultimately eliminated.
Adding this feature to your facility’s point of water entry and point of use will eliminate many of the potential dangers which threaten the safety of hospital patients. Please see the product descriptions which follow and consult our UV application specialists to determine which products best suit your needs.
Sanitron®
Our Sanitron® models treat 3–40 gallons per minute (GPM), making them an option for various water flow needs. Model S2400C (40 GPM) can be combined for large-scale medical facility water. This product line contains 3 models boasting a certification to NSF®/ANSI/CAN 61 & NSF®/ANSI 372. Its many features facilitate easy maintenance and will not burden your facility management crew. Medical facilities can greatly benefit by adding our Sanitron® to their water management program, especially following any other pre-treatments like filtration.
Megatron®
For the largest medical water disinfection needs, our Megatron® R Series is your choice! It seamlessly integrates into various building management systems so that you can successfully maintain your water disinfection protocols. An HMI touchscreen facilitates monitoring and control like never before, including fine-tuning thresholds for various alarms. Four models process 90–450 GPM of clear, fresh water and can be combined to handle larger requirements. Each model contains multiple germicidal UV lamps, is made to order, and constructed to meet customer needs. Available with manual or automatic wiper systems for cleaning each lamp’s protective quartz sleeve.
Bio-Logic®
A point of use UV purifier adds another layer of disinfection immediately before the tap. Operating rooms, patient rooms, examination rooms, and dialysis treatment rooms can benefit from sanitized water flow from their sinks. Our Bio-Logic® models are a perfect option for underneath the sink, making high quality disinfected water available for cleaning and washing. Bio-Logic® models are available as standalone water purifiers (model BIO-1.5 or BIO-3.0) or with a dual-filter system (Bio-Logic® with Pure Water Pack ™).
Need help? Contact Our UV Application Specialists
We will help you determine the right products and the proper installation method, in order to provide the precise ultraviolet dosage for your needs.
Call: (631) 273-0500, Mon–Fri, 7am–6pm
Email: Sales@AtlanticUV.com
Additional Information
- CDC: Considerations for Reducing Risk: Water in Healthcare Facilitiesopen_in_new.
- CDC: Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities – Wateropen_in_new
- CDC: Overview of Water Management Programsopen_in_new
- Energy Star DataTrends: Water Use Trackingopen_in_new
- Infection Control Today: Water- Life’s Vital Necessity Can Also Be a Pool for Pathogensopen_in_new
- ASHRAE: Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systemsopen_in_new
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