Health Care Facilities offer a unique challenge because of the complexity of water use. NWS has been successful in reducing water use while not burdening either the staff or patients.

 

The Challenge
Hospitals and Health Care facilities use water in almost every conceivable way. Adopting better water management practices can have a significant impact, especially in populated areas where water is used almost constantly. One of the biggest challenges in performing a water conservation project is not interfering with either the lives of the patients or the jobs the nurses, doctors and staff have to perform. It is the coordination and communication between the staff, patients and NWS crews that make us successful in developing and implementing these projects.

 

The In-depth Analysis
The first step is instituting a comprehensive investigation of how water is used in the facility. Typically we’ll see 25% of consumption in a health care facility going to domestic water consumption (toilets, urinals,  faucets and showers) and the other 75% going to non-domestic consumption (cooling towers, autoclaves, radiology, irrigation and food services). It is imperative that any audit of a health care facility look at all aspects of water consumption.

 

The Solution

  • General – Increase employee, patient and visitor awareness of water conservation (educate staff, seek suggestions, assign responsibility, post signs in patient rooms and restrooms, publicize water conservation policy, etc.).
  • Maintenance Program – As equipment wears out, replace with air cooled or water-saving models.
  • Domestic Water – Replace inefficient equipment with High Efficiency units
  • Steam traps – Steam traps are automatic valves that release condensed steam (condensate) from a steam space while preventing the loss of live steam.  They are present throughout many facilities (air and water heating, kitchen, laundry equipment, sterilizers, autoclaves, etc.). Faulty or inoperative steam traps can waste water and energy.  Replace faulty steam traps with effective, low-maintenance units.
  • Film processors – Replace or retrofit continuous flow-through systems with flow control equipment.
  • Refrigeration equipment – Recover condensate from refrigerators, freezers and ice makers for reuse.