An update on Longwood Medical and Academic Area programs and activities that encourage a sustainable environment.
How many drops are in 10.7 million gallons of water? According to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, it’s $142,000 worth. That’s how much water and money the hospital saves each year thanks to its successful “Water Drops” program.
Launched in 2007 with a goal of decreasing water consumption without impacting patient care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s “Water Drops” program saves $142,000 annually and paid for itself in less than a year. It engaged employees from several medical center departments, representatives from a sterilization company and a water management consultant who identified opportunities to reduce water use. For instance, large sterilizers use steam to clean medical equipment and supplies. When finished, the condensed hot water was cooled by mixing it with city water that continually ran in disposal pipes. Installing a device that turns this cooling water off when sterilizers are not in use saved 8 million gallons of water a year. In the cafeteria, low-flow faucet ends were placed on hand-held sprayers; settings and nozzles on dishwashers were adjusted to be more efficient and garbage disposals were equipped with devices that turn drain water off when not in use. Throughout the medical center, 1,500 faucet ends and 100 shower heads were replaced with low-flow models.
The 10.7 million gallons in water savings is just the beginning of the environmental benefit the program delivers. “We reduced the amount of water that is treated at sewer treatment facilities -- this saves energy. Bringing water to and throughout the medical center and sewerage out to treatment plants requires pumps powered by electric motors, a source of air pollution. Cutting down the amount of water used eliminated pumping of 89 million pounds of fluid a year, a significant electrical savings,” said Mark Lukitsch, BIDMC utilities manager.
The “Water Drops” program won BIDMC’s Healthy Work/Healthy Home Environmental Action Award in 2008. Another program recommendation, replacing toilets and urinals with low-flow models, is under consideration for this year. For more information contact Mark Lukitsch at mlukitsc@bidmc.harvard.edu.
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