Water quality challenges in healthcare facilities

03 Feb Water quality challenges in healthcare facilities

How water is treated at its point of use in healthcare facilities is critical for the safety and wellbeing of patients and healthcare professionals. Waterborne diseases are a significant threat to people with compromised immune systems, including patients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes. 

Water flowing into healthcare facilities generally goes through some level of dechlorination before the point of use. By the time water reaches the point of use such as sinks, showers, ice machines and water fountains, antibiotic-resistant or resilient pathogens can grow and multiply, increasing the risk for patient infections. 

Many healthy people could unknowingly ingest pathogens such as bacteria and viruses and not incur any health issues. But those with weakened immune systems could become infected and contract serious illnesses, including pneumonia. 

The rising risk of Legionella

The risk of infection from Legionella bacteria via water from a tap continues to rise. It seems there are news reports every few weeks about a new outbreak in a different area of the country. Cases of Legionnaires disease caused by the Legionella bacteria in water increased from 0.5 cases per 100,000 in 2000 to 2.5 per 100,000 in 2017 in the United States.

Legionella and other waterborne pathogens naturally occur in lakes, rivers and streams. Even with water treatment from cities and towns, these pathogens still get into public water systems via: 

• Construction
• Water main breaks
• Changes in a municipality’s water system

Large plumbing systems within healthcare facilities are essentially breeding grounds for microbial pathogens. That’s why both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) insist that healthcare facilities maintain a water management program to effectively limit Legionella and other potentially dangerous waterborne pathogens from growing and spreading. 

We agree that water management programs can be effective in lowering the risk for waterborne pathogen infections in patients. However, focusing on the water’s point of entry is not going to eliminate the risk of pathogens. There’s no defense if bacteria grows inside the pipes of the facility, or from the point of entry to the point of use. 

Treating water with Ultraviolet light

If healthcare facilities included ultraviolet (UVC) light disinfection at the point of use, waterborne pathogens would be eliminated at the tap level. UVC light is a potent non-chemical disinfectant. Subjecting bacteria to UVC radiation disrupts their DNA, preventing them from multiplying and eradicating them. Water disinfected with UVC is sanitized to the highest safety standards.

By treating water at the point of use with UVC, healthcare facilities can eliminate risks such as:

• Biofilm building up in pipes
• Improper levels of chemical disinfectant and subsequently disinfection by-product.  

Canopus Water Technologies recommends our C-UV100 sanitation product for fast and easy point-of-use installation in healthcare facilities. The C-UV100 eliminates Legionella and other potentially harmful bacteria, viruses and microbial cysts. 

We don’t utilize healthcare facilities to get sicker. Treating water at its point of use should be part of every healthcare facility’s water management program.