subject: Importance Of Water Management Solutions For Healthcare Facilities [print this page] Like most other industries, healthcare facilities use a high volume of water on a daily basis. Satisfactory disposal of wastewater is essential for sanitation and safety of the patients as well as staff. Further, water needs to be adequately treated before disposal in order to avoid contamination which could lead to spreading of diseases.
Water Management Solutions
Healthcare facilities can employ various methods in order to ensure that the water is treated properly before using and prior to disposal. These are:
Effluent Treatment
More commonly known as sewage treatment, effluent treatment involves the treatment of water to remove contaminants in order to produce waste stream and solid sludge which can be reused in the environment.
Cooling Systems
This treatment focuses on prevention of corrosion, scaling and microbiological growth in the cooling tower and also ensures that there is optimal reuse of water.
Legionella Monitoring
Legionella is a bacteria found in natural and manmade water systems. This bacterium is known to cause a disease called legionellosis, a fatal form of pneumonia. Cooling towers, evaporative condensers, humidifiers and fountains are a breeding ground for legionella. Thus it is essential to undertake an effective prevention and treatment program in order to minimize the risk of infection to patients and staff.
Boiler Water Treatment
The focus is on treating corrosion that has occurred in the boiler pipes, prevention of boiler scale and carryover.
Education Programs
It is equally important to educate the staff on the various water management solutions that the facility has adopted. Furthermore, relevant staff should be trained in various methods and precautions to conserve water so that they can effectively contribute to the water management program adopted by the facility.
There are various water treatment companies which can provide excellent water treatment programs. An effective program will:
Improve current water management system
Increase the overall operating efficiency
Minimize the risk of legionella
Comply with regulatory guidelines such as OSHA, ASHRAE 188P and CTI
Provide training programs and support to the staff
Helps in execution of a green initiative strategy by incorporating green water treatment in the program
Extend the life of your cooling towers, boilers, chillers and sterilizers
Implementing an effective water treatment program will go a long way in creating a safe and clean environment for a health care facility, thereby helping them to focus their efforts on providing best medical practices to patients.
