Plumbing: Rewarding Retrofits

Part 1: Plumbing Fixtures: Task Force Determines Campus Water Use

Part 2: Plumbing Retrofits Start with Fixture Inventory

Part 3: Hospital Shuts Down Floors to Perform Plumbing Retrofit

Part 4: Plumbing Fixtures: Maintenance Factors Into Product Specification

Part 5: Metering Improves Water-Conservation Efforts

Hospital Shuts Down Floors to Perform Plumbing Retrofit

By Chris Matt, Managing Editor - Print & E-Media - November 2009 - Plumbing & Restrooms

Sewer and water utility costs always have been a concern for Bugyis and his department. The combined sewer and water rate has almost doubled in the last few years, to $13 per 1,000 gallons, Bugyis says, forcing the facilities staff to pay closer attention to water use and fixture maintenance. Sarasota Memorial Hospital is an 806-bed, full-service hospital that features more than 600 restrooms.

The hospital took on a major, floor-by-floor, plumbing-fixture retrofit a decade ago, but managers constantly look at new technology and opportunities for savings. For example, the hospital specified waterless urinals for its large community restrooms in the last year, and managers are looking at urinals that use only 1 pint of water per flush. Bugyis envisions having both waterless and pint-flush urinals in the hospital in the future.

The hospital features low-flow toilets — 1.5 gpf — in its 600 restrooms, and managers have specified restrictors for showerheads and faucets. These fixtures have helped the hospital reduce its monthly water use from 3.6 million gallons in 2008 to 2.9 million gallons in 2009.