WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT A DROP THAT’S SAFE – ISSUE NO. 94

Two thirds of our planet is covered in water. Water vapor is a dominate gas in the atmosphere. Cities and towns historically have grown up around water - rivers, lakes and seas. The human body even, is made up of 50-70% water! Except for air, nothing is more critical to life than water. So when problems with water arise, it is a serious issue. This past week's headline about water system issues at hospitals, hotels and commercial buildings is a reminder. Water is critical to cleaning too. Water that is not of sufficient quality can compromise effective cleaning, or worse yet, leave instruments more contaminated than when the cleaning process started. AAMI is about to review the "Water Quality" document, that was first published in 2007. Setting standards for what is acceptable water for cleaning, rinsing and final use is key to delivering safe instruments for patient care. As always, AAMI will seek to employ the latest knowledge to recommend the best practices by health care facilities.