Healthcare

Cure Your Water Problems. Reduce Water Use and Decrease Energy Costs.

Legionella Outbreak Immediate Response

Background:

An independent Senior Living Facility experienced a Legionella outbreak resulting in the death of a resident due to recent plumbing issues. The state's Department of Public Health required the involvement of a qualified Water Management firm to provide guidance and mitigate risks to residents during necessary repairs.

Earthwise Legionella Response Solutions

Immediate Response

Within 12 hours, Earthwise CWT's and Certified Water Operators were on site and providing emergency solutions to prevent the mandated evacuation of residents. Point-of-use filtration including shower heads and faucet adaptors were installed, allowing the residents to stay in their homes for the 8 weeks needed to complete repairs.

Water Management Program

5 days after the first call to Earthwise, our Compliance Team wrote an ASHRAE-188 compliant Water Management Plan and presented the complete Water Management Program (WMP) to the facility. Site personnel and plumbers were instructed on standard practices for legionella control and to identify high-risk piping runs. 

Earthwise continues to work with the Senior Living Facility to administer the WMP, helping the program team to respond to potential issues before residents are put at 

 

Healthcare - Optimized Cooling Tower Performance

Challenge

The metropolitan hospital was searching for ways to reduce their water footprint while minimizing the risk of legionella growth.

Opportunity

Earthwise's Certified Water Technologists (CWT) surveyed the facility to uncover ways to improve the efficiency of critical equipment, extend asset life, reduce chemical consumption, and provide remote system performance monitoring.

Solution

An Ion-Exchange System and 24-hour monitoring software were installed. The Ion-Exchange System's pretreatment of cooling water allowed the cycles of concentration to increase to 7, resulting in significant savings in utility spend and treatment product consumption. The monitoring software allowed for data driven control. The real-time data gathered within the 24-hour monitoring software improved onsite personnel's reaction to system changes that previously went untreated and decreased system performance.

New, State-of-the-Art Hospital Saved Money, Water and Energy

Challenge:

As part of a cost-saving initiative, the hospital sought to reduce water and energy consumption, which would require a significant capital investment.

Opportunity:

Earthwise Environmental investigated the Nicor Gas™ energySMART rebate program. The natural gas rebate program — $1.00 incentive for each therm saved —would reduce the project payback period, allowing the hospital to undertake long-term conservation efforts. Without the incentive, the hospital would have been unable to undertake the capital improvements required.

Solution:

Earthwise Environmental installed a reverse osmosis system on the boiler feedwater. By removing supply impurities, the water could be cycled (concentrated) by a factor of 10. This cycling reduced boiler blowdown, water consumption and energy consumption.

Top Teaching Hospital in Chicago Increased Humidity and Saved Water and Energy

Challenge:

The existing steam humidification system was incapable of supplying the required amount of humidity to the hospital in general and to the operating rooms in particular.

Opportunity:

The system, as designed, was based on generating steam in one boiler, and using that steam in a Clean System Generator to produce steam to humidify. The system was energy intensive, inefficient and incapable of providing required levels of humidification. A steam plant/humidification retrofit was required.

Solution:

Earthwise Environmental proposed eliminating the Clean Steam Generators and designed a water chemistry program that exceeded the quality and purity requirements of the hospital. A new steam boiler with reverse osmosis treatment of feedwater was installed. Energy waste from inefficient steam generators was eliminated and sufficient steam could now be generated to meet humidification needs.