Water management programs are composed of many parts: from surveys to schematics to pipe labeling to emergency planning. And each element requires careful planning to ensure its effectiveness for safety, compliance, and ROI. Water sampling is no different. You need to figure out what to sample, from where, and how often.
Protect + Prevent: Legionella Contamination in Healthcare Facilities
The Why Behind Sampling Your Water Supply
Private industries must comply with OSHA standards, including 1910.141 which requires all places of employment to ensure safe drinking water for employees and visitors. But this standard isn’t prescriptive. You’re required to provide safe water, but the how is up to interpretation.
Many healthcare and industrial facilities have taken a proactive approach to comply with OSHA and protect their potable water supply. Typically, this comes in the form of an internal water protection policy—and resulting program—that often includes annual water sampling as a means of surveillance to detect any contamination from backflow, pipe corrosion, or stagnant/aged water conditions. Facilities might conduct additional water sampling when responding to a water quality complaint, validating new fixture installations, and preparing for construction of new water mains, buildings, or renovations.
For hospitals, an additional layer of regulation exists: accrediting bodies. The Joint Commission requires hospitals to create a policy that defines water monitoring protocols and acceptable ranges for control measures, particularly as it relates to Legionella bacteria. Once again, the specifics, like what should be tested and the acceptable range, are up to the discretion of facility managers.
Preparing a Policy
Developing a corporate policy around water management and sampling works best when it’s done proactively. It’s always preferable to prevent a costly and damaging contamination event than to respond to one.
Drinking water sampling doesn’t need to be overly complicated. Pragmatic by nature, an effective program keeps costs low while giving you greater and consistent visibility into water quality. Plus, the benefits of OSHA compliance far outweigh any related costs when you consider the potential for a fine of up to $10,000/day if your facility has suspected contamination.
Elements of a Water Sampling Policy
When coming up with your policy, you need to ask a few critical questions:
- What buildings will we sample from?
The higher the risk, the more important sampling becomes. Consider buildings with operations that use chemicals, have greater complexity within their piping infrastructure, or are, by nature, higher hazard. The larger a water system, the higher the risk of stagnant water, undetected cross-connections, and hidden failures. - What will we sample for?
First, assess your water source. If your facility’s water is supplied from the municipality, there may be tests you can skip, knowing that the utility samples for them to comply with EPA regulations. No need for duplicate work. Also, factor in building piping materials and condition, chemicals used, type of operations conducted, and equipment. For example, you may need to sample for various types of bacteria, disinfectant, pH, physical factors, and metals such as lead and copper depending on the types of systems, fixtures, and age of your facility. - How many samples will we collect?
To answer this question, consider the size of the building you’re collecting samples from, the number of occupants, and the number of available outlets people use to consume water. - How often will we sample?
The higher the risk, the more samples you’ll want to collect—and at a higher frequency. In addition to the building’s degree of hazard, you may also consider whether the building is frequently vacant or disused, which could ultimately put the water at risk of stagnation. A typical water management program may require drinking water sampling to be conducted on an annual basis, but with higher levels of risk, the use of hazardous chemicals, lead piping materials or fixtures, or a history of contamination events, you may want to increase sampling frequency.
You’ll also want to define acceptable ranges for the tests, which state-certified lab you’ll send samples to, and what remediation looks like if deficiencies are identified.
Reporting Your Results
When you conduct water sampling, you need to evaluate all the data you collect. Maintain your sampling records to track results over time and catch trends early—before a contamination event.
Water sampling allows proactive action by revealing the root cause of contaminated water. That’s why what you test for and how frequently you sample matters. Legionella or other bacteria growth? Look for low use or dead-end sections of piping, or areas of oversized piping compared to demand. Chemical contamination? Look for accidental cross-connections. Lead or heavy metal contamination? Review your piping material and condition, fixtures, water flow or pressure issues, and look for corrosion.
Corrective actions can include things like:
- Increasing the flushing of water lines with low usage, either manually, or with automated flush valves
- Replumbing outlets to an alternate, fresher plumbing/water source
- Implementing the use of a different type of water filter, and/or replacing filters more frequently
- Replacing piping to an immediate outlet with different piping material
- Installing proper backflow prevention
But not all water sampling reveals problems in your piping systems. Not only can you use these tests to find and correct problem areas, but you can use them to validate your water management program. These reports act as tangible proof of compliance, and reinforce that you’re properly managing your facility’s drinking water.
Proactively assessing water quality keeps your employees, patients, visitors, and customers safe while keeping you compliant with federal regulations and accreditation standards. The best time to develop a policy and start conducting regular water sampling is before a major contamination event occurs.
Ready to learn more about how HydroCorp can support your facility’s water management program, water sampling, and pipe surveying efforts?
