A-20
October 2012
A.7 Hospital Installs Water-Efficient Laboratory and Medical Equipment
Anesthesia evacuation pumps
Savings Summary
The upgrade of the existing steam sterilizers was by far the most significant of the
water-efficiency improvement projects completed at Providence St. Peter Hospital.
As a result of these improvements alone, the hospital was able to reduce its water use
by 4,300 gallons per day or approximately 1,600,000 gallons per year. To finance the
$30,200 retrofit project, the hospital received a 50 percent grant from its wastewater
utility. With this grant, the payback period for the project was less than two years.
Table A-3 provides a summary of the water savings from
all of the projects implemented at Providence St. Peter
through 2012.
All of the projects completed at Providence St. Peter
combined have lowered operating costs and reduced
the burden on the hospital’s budget. Providence St. Peter
Hospital estimates that it saves approximately $140,000
each year in water and sewer bills, and at least 3.4 million
gallons of water.
Ten years after the hospital began its water-efficiency
efforts, staff estimated that it had reduced water use 59
percent compared to its 1998 use. In fact, the hospital
realized cumulative savings of $1.5 million and 31 million gallons of water between
1999
and 2011. This savings was achieved despite an expansion of the campus by 17
percent and an increase of 22 percent in patient days between 2004 and 2009.
Table A-3. Retrofit and Replacement Project Water Savings
Project
Water Savings
(
gallons per
year)
Estimated
Payback
(
years)
Medical Equipment Retrofits and Replacements
Steam Sterilizer Pump Replacement and
Condensate Collection
1,600,000
1.9
Replacement of Non-Water-Using Medical Air
Compressors (reciprocating system)
790,000
5.0
Waste Anesthesia Gas Pump Replacement
530,000
5.7
Mechanical System Replacements
Replacement of Single-Pass Cooling Ice
Machines, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration
Equipment
more than
330,000
1.1
Sanitary Retrofits and Replacements
Retrofit of Flushometer-Valve Toilets With Dual-
Flush Valves and Handles
2,300
4.8
Installation of 1-Pint Urinals
10,000
3.4
(
continued)
