Water systems maintenance is a critical aspect of hospital plant and building services, particularly for biomedical engineering professionals tasked with ensuring reliable and safe water supply. In Kenyan health facilities, water is indispensable for clinical procedures, sanitation, patient care, and equipment sterilization. Understanding the various uses of water and the sources from which it is drawn forms the foundation for effective maintenance practices that uphold hygiene standards and operational efficiency in medical environments.

2.1 Use of water in health facilities

Water is a fundamental utility in health facilities, supporting diverse functions essential for patient care and hospital operations. Biomedical engineers must appreciate the complexity of water usage to design, maintain, and troubleshoot water systems that meet stringent healthcare standards. From direct patient applications to supporting infrastructure, water’s role is multifaceted and requires careful management to prevent contamination and system failures.

2.1.1 Clinical and Diagnostic Applications

Water is vital in clinical settings for activities such as patient hydration, wound cleaning, and preparation of intravenous solutions. It is also used in diagnostic equipment like autoclaves and sterilizers where purified water prevents contamination and ensures accurate results. For example, at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, the integrity of water used in sterilization directly impacts infection control practices.

2.1.2 Sanitation and Hygiene

Hospitals demand rigorous hygiene standards to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Water facilitates hand washing, cleaning of floors, surfaces, and medical instruments, and flushing of toilets. The Nairobi Women’s Hospital prioritizes ensuring continuous availability of treated water to support these sanitation processes, which are critical to patient and staff safety.

2.1.3 Equipment Operation and Maintenance

Many biomedical devices, including dialysis machines and laboratory analyzers, require water either as a direct input or for cooling purposes. Inadequate water quality or supply can disrupt operations or damage sensitive equipment. Biomedical engineers at Aga Khan University Hospital routinely monitor water quality parameters to maintain equipment functionality and prolong service life.

2.1.4 Patient Comfort and Facility Services

Water supports patient comfort through bathing, laundry services, and food preparation. It also sustains facility operations such as HVAC systems and fire suppression. At Kenyatta National Hospital, integrated water systems ensure that patient wards and support services receive adequate water supply for comfort and safety.

2.1.5 Emergency and Backup Uses

Hospitals require reliable water sources to maintain critical services during emergencies like power outages or contamination events. Backup water supplies and storage tanks are essential for sustaining lifesaving treatments and sanitation. County hospitals in Kisumu have implemented water storage systems to guarantee uninterrupted water availability during supply disruptions.

Chapter Summary

This chapter explored the critical role of water in health facilities, emphasizing its varied uses from sanitation to patient care. It examined different water sources and the traditional and mechanical methods for lifting water, including centrifugal and reciprocating pumps as well as hydraulic rams. The discussion progressed to water distribution systems, covering essential factors such as pressure, flow rate, pipe sizing, and the function of valves, airlocks, taps, and various piping configurations like gridiron, branch, and ring systems. Water storage was analyzed through the types of tanks, their sizes, materials, costs, and durability considerations. The chapter also detailed raw water treatment techniques, including mechanical, chemical, and de-ionizing methods. Various water heating methods were described, highlighting boilers, instant hot water heaters, solar heating, and both central and decentralized systems. Finally, functional principles of gas, electric, and fuel boilers were reviewed alongside instantaneous gas and electric heaters, culminating in an overview of water systems installation and maintenance practices essential for reliable hospital plant operation.