HydroCorp has been serving customers with water safety and piping system solutions for over 40 years. Because our team has decades of valuable experience conducting surveys, drafting piping schematics, and creating cross-connection control programs, educating municipal and business leaders on safe piping systems is a priority for us.
This year, the team published dozens of articles spanning a wide variety of topics—all with the aim to provide valuable information to professionals who need it. Let’s recap some of the articles you found most insightful.
General Education
First up: articles covering general education topics. These apply across industries and share critical definitions, processes, and concepts to drive safety and compliance.
Cross-connection control and backflow prevention work together to ensure a safe water supply—but they’re not the same thing. “The way we talk about cross-connection control matters,” McLaren writes. Clear definitions and an outline of how these terms and practices are used are foundational for municipal leaders, facility managers, and water safety professionals alike.
- The Hazards of Unlabeled or Incorrectly Labeled Piping Systems by Cooper Nicholas
What are the biggest risks of improperly maintained piping systems and schematics? “Incorrectly labeled pipes can lead to disastrous consequences, from health hazards to operational failures,” Nicholas explains. This article walks through the most significant and common hazards associated with potable water systems, non-potable water systems, and medical gas systems.
- Sounding Like a Broken Record: How the Archimedes Screw of 234 BC Relates to Backflow by Gary McLaren
Piping systems are nothing new, and neither are backflow concerns: “The history of the simple screw offers valuable insights into the ancient origins of the backflow problem.” McLaren takes us back to ancient Greece and the development of the Archimedes Screw, which is still used in some wastewater treatment plants today.
Honorable Mention: Backflow Word Soup—Commonly Misused Terms in Cross-Connection Control by Cooper Nicholas
Public Water Systems
Public water systems face unique challenges of their own. What topics resonated the most in 2024?
- Public Water Systems Compliance Cross-Connection Checkup by Cooper Nicholas
Having a cross-connection control program is only the first step in ensuring safety and compliance. This article highlights the importance of regularly reviewing program elements, cross-connection surveys, and consistent public education and awareness efforts throughout the year.
- Double Your Water Service Line Inventory Efficiency by Gary McLaren
McLaren reviews ways to drive efficiency through aligning service line inventory activities with already occurring onsite utility work. “Efficiency is the cornerstone of any operation and making multiple trips out to a water customer’s residence…triples the workload,” he writes. See how improved efficiency reduces the burden on your employees while maintaining the safety of water customers.
- Backflow Contamination Security: Response and Resilience by Cooper Nicholas
Get an inside look at the impact of the latest regulations, including the 2020 National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative from the EPA and SDWA Section. From cyber security to traditional backflow prevention and testing, Nicholas explains, “being prepared for inspections and sanitary surveys has never been more relevant.”
Honorable Mention: Get Ahead of Springtime Backflow Test Data on Irrigation by Gary McLaren
Industrial Facilities
On the flip side, industrial facilities have their own perspective and priorities when it comes to water safety and piping systems.
Securing budget for critical maintenance activities can be a challenge. But some facility managers seem to have an easier time getting maintenance costs approved. How? Lemon explains, “It’s about understanding the priorities of the decision-makers, anticipating all possible variables, and ensuring that every dollar spent delivers a meaningful return on investment.”
Manufacturing businesses with large, complex facilities have a lot to juggle. Up-to-date and easily accessible piping schematics “can bridge the gap for understaffed facility management teams,” McLaren says. From remote monitoring tools to proactive planning and reduced costs, this article covers just how critical accurate schematics can be.
- Do You Use Water in Your Manufacturing Process? Read This Post! by Gary McLaren
Water plays a bigger role in industrial facilities than many may think. From manufacturing to machine tooling, water—and the pipes it runs through—are essential to the work of these facilities. McLaren provides a high-level overview of what facility managers need to consider when monitoring and maintaining their water systems to “build a safer, healthier, and more sustainable industrial landscape.”
Honorable Mention: Inherent Complexities of Industrial Facility Potable Water Systems and the Drinking Fountain Caution by Cooper Nicholas
Healthcare Facilities
Finally, we had several articles addressing the concerns of healthcare facilities, including the most common piping issues in the industry and key trends that reflect the industry’s needs.
- 10 Critical Issues Found in Hospital Piping Surveys by Cooper Nicholas
Aggregate data from HydroCorp’s hospital piping system surveys revealed key trends and vulnerabilities in healthcare facilities. These surveys “frequently [identified] mislabeling, improper backflow prevention devices, and outdated or unnecessary piping installations,” Nicholas explained. Knowing the most common problems can help prevent disaster for patients and employees.
- Poll Data Released on Hospital Piping Schematics by Gary McLaren
In this article, McLaren reviews the results of a survey of healthcare facility professionals—specifically highlighting trends in hospital maintenance planning. A high proportion of respondents noted that shut-off valve locations and flow direction indicators are often missing from piping schematics. He analyzes these trends and provides ways these facilities can address key challenges.
Piping system breakdowns are critical in any industry—but the impact can be particularly great in hospital settings. “An efficient emergency response relies on having the proper information readily available,” McLaren writes. Accurate, detailed schematics equip and empower maintenance teams to effectively respond if an emergency strikes.
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