Healthcare Water Quality is More Important than Ever Before
It is no doubt that the healthcare industry is taking a hard hit with the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals and other healthcare facility infrastructures are built to endure the test of time, proving high-quality maintenance to be vital. CDC Environmental Health Officer, Jasen Kunz states it best: “[The COVID-19 pandemic] is a good moment for building managers to be thinking long term about how they’re managing water, and for public health mechanisms to build awareness about prevention.” As challenges continue to unfold in the wake of COVID-19, Aquanomix continues to dedicate its efforts to making sure water risk is not one of them.
Mismanaged water systems in large buildings face a high risk of bacteria buildup, harboring dangerous bacteria pathogens like Legionella. Since Legionella bacteria flows from water faucets, toilets, and even AC units, individuals breathe in these bacteria-filled water droplets that can cause a form of pneumonia called Legionnaires Disease (LD). At Aquanomix, we have worked with some of the biggest healthcare names to bring them turn-key solutions for minimizing water-borne bacteria risk and a variety of water management needs. Wake Forest Baptist Health chose Aquanomix to provide theCUBE, a transformational water management platform, to deliver optimum performance in the hospital’s cooling water and steam systems.
According to the CDC, “People being treated at health care facilities, including long-term care facilities and hospitals, have conditions that put them at greater risk of getting sick and dying from LD.” COVID-19 symptoms are similar to respiratory illnesses and create lung compromisation effects. As more hospital beds are filled with COVID-19 patients with weakened lungs and immune systems that make them more susceptible to disease, it is crucial to minimize additional risks. Workers are in these facilities for long periods of time and may face greater exposure to water-borne pathogens. Plant operations and engineering teams at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center work with Aquanomix to meet the highest quality water standards using the theCUBE and Symphony™.
Aquanomix supports healthcare facility operations in its effort to mitigate Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAI) through surveillance and proactive control.