Hospital Drinking Water
Is It Safe to Drink?
by Nancy Hearn, CNC

When you think of a hospital, what comes to mind?  In most cases, we would say that a hospital is where sick people go to get better. 

What if you were told that your county hospital may not be giving patients, visitors and staff drinking water that was safe? 

Unnerving Statistics Recently Released

There is one simple truth in all this. Unless your hospital has some sort of filtration system or is providing water from a source other than city tap water, you have a 25% chance that the water you are drinking is polluted with one or more contaminants. 

According to a report dated in early May 2017, almost 77 million people in the United States live in an area where public water is in violation of safety regulations in some way or other. 

Hospital Administrators Should Take a
Closer Look

Today, most hospital administrators have a minimum of an MHA degree (Masters of Health Administration). However, leading universities like the University of Cincinnati offer an online master of healthcare administration in strategy and innovation. 

This specific online MHA degree is well-suited for administrators seeking innovative solutions to ordinary, but dangerous, problems. The sad fact is, unsafe hospital drinking water has truly become an ordinary problem which most cities face. 

Hospital Drinking Water Challenges

Unsafe drinking water is just one of many challenges hospital administrators face, but it could be a serious obstacle to overcome. 

Large hospitals would face the greatest challenges due to their sheer size, but smaller institutions are not immune to the problem either. 

The first challenge to be met is in having the water tested so that you know exactly what you are dealing with. There are so many possible contaminants that you really need to have an accurate analysis. 

The next challenge, if the hospital drinking water is indeed contaminated, is to find a solution. 

Finding a Clean Source of Drinking Water

At this point, a hospital administrator needs to look for a realistic source of clean, potable water. Delivery isn’t an option in an institution this large, so filtration is going to be the best solution. 

With many types of filters available, you would want to consult with various companies to see which filtration system would work best in your setting while facing specific contaminants. 

Not all filters and filtration systems are created equal and some simply won’t work with the contaminants you are combatting. 

Just as hospitals are the leading source of spreading drug-resistant MRSA, hospitals can be a source of dangerous toxins in the drinking water. Unfortunately, until the latest report was released, few administrators were even aware of an ongoing crisis. 

With a growing concern over national water shortages and unhealthy contaminants in the available water, healthcare administrators will be tasked with providing clean water that won’t break the bank.

Further reading . . .

Our Recommended Hospital Water Filtration Systems

Commercial Water Filter Systems - Reviews and Recommendations

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