Patient care and water hygiene in a community hospital

Patient care and water hygiene is an obvious priority for our healthcare customers, which is why Hydro-X Engineering (HXE) were engaged by a district regional hospital with specialised maternity and emergency departments to make future-proofed improvements to their water quality. Reducing costs and mitigating labour inefficiencies for this vital 300-bed community service.

• HXE customer is a hospital with specialised maternity and emergency departments.
• Concerns arose in management and patients about domestic water quality.
• HXE installed duplex filters, replaceable cartridges and a Siemens PLC controller.
• Solution created a seamless clean water filtration system.
• HXE improved water quality, improved flow, mitigated blockages and reduced costs.

Context

Issues with domestic water quality were identified as an understandable concern for management and patients alike. In response to this, our customer installed a temporary fix, opting to attach tap filters at each water outlet. A short term answer that was expensive, labour intensive and inefficient. HXE were approached to consult on how to best tackle the situation, make marked improvements, while finding a solution that could be relied upon for generations to come.

Initially, the customer requested side-stream filters to be installed on the hot water system. While this would improve the general quality of the water, HXE provided consultative feedback that it would not solve the core issue associated with the system.

After a thorough analysis of the water quality and water usage, HXE therefore designed an in-line unit that continuously filters all hot water. This Allowed for a more complete removal of contaminants, reducing maintenance requirements and prolonging the service life of the system.

Solution

The solution formulated by HXE involved installing duplex filters with replaceable cartridges at each plant room. The filters were paired with a sophisticated Siemens PLC controller, allowing for a seamless transfer of flow from one filter to the other in the event of a blockage.

These replaceable components were installed with 100 microns filters to remove larger contaminants. HXE will continue to grade down these filters to 1 micron as the system water is cleared over time.

This method ensures that the system is cleaned efficiently and cost effectively, as finer micron graded filters would quickly saturate with contaminants and therefore need to be replaced more frequently, incurring significant financial and labour costs.

The unit was also fitted with a remote alarm system, capable of warning the customer via SMS and email when filters need to be changed. A simple, modern solution that removes guesswork and improves customer trust in the service and technology.

Value

HXE was able to deliver a tailor-made filtration system that purifies down to 1 micron while also being economically viable and easier to maintain compared to traditional tap filters. A robust, future-facing, versatile solution at a site where water quality and service safety is paramount.

If you too are a vital healthcare provider looking to improve patient care, services or products, don’t hesitate to talk to our expert team about ongoing consultative agreements or one-off bespoke engineering solutions.

Discuss your project with one of the Hydro-X Engineering team today.