9.2.1 Water Supplied to the Clean Operating Department

Its water quality must meet the drinking water quality standard, and the water for surgical hand scrubbing should preferably undergo bacteria-removal treatment.

The water supplied to the clean operating department must comply with the current national standard "Hygienic Specifications for Drinking Water Quality" (Wei Fa Jian Fa {2001} No. 161); this is the most basic requirement. In many countries, the water quality delivered by urban waterworks must comply with drinking water standards, and in many countries around the world one can drink tap water directly simply by turning on the faucet. However, the situation in China is that tap water Due to long-distance transportation through the water supply pipe network and long-term storage in water storage containers, as well as contact with the surrounding unclean environment, secondary pollution occurs (bacteria breeding, rust formation, etc.). Self-supplied well water managed by individual units is likewise subject to contamination due to non-standardized management. Therefore, tap water should be provided with additional re-treatment devices such as filtration and disinfection before use. This has been clearly stipulated in Article 7 (8) of the Beijing Municipal Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Domestic Drinking Water Hygiene and in the new code to be issued soon. It is understood that in places where secondary pressurized water supply systems are installed in buildings, with water storage tanks and secondary disinfection devices, the quality of the water storage tanks, the hygienic conditions at the tank locations, and the management of the disinfection equipment are all very non-standardized, and in fact secondary disinfection is not guaranteed. Therefore, in the surgical department, for scrub water with higher requirements, it is advisable to select small-scale bacteria-removal equipment for re-disinfection treatment. For example, water disinfection and sterilization devices such as ceramic filters, ultraviolet sterilizers, ozone, and chlorine dioxide can be used to filter impurities in the water and kill the bacteria in it.

9.2.2 Washing Facilities in the Clean Surgical Department

Washing facilities should be equipped with both hot and cold water systems; hot water in hot water storage tanks, volumetric heat exchangers, water storage tanks, etc. should be stored at no lower than 60℃, and where circulation is required, the circulating water temperature should be at least 51℃ or above.

【Reference】This requirement is intended to prevent the growth of pneumococci in the water. Regardless of what kind of water storage equipment supplies hot water to the operating rooms, this requirement must be met. According to the literature, the World Health Organization recommends: "Water should be stored at temperatures above 60℃ and circulated at least at 50℃. For some users, however, it is necessary to reduce the water outlet temperature at the tap to around 40～45℃. To ensure that the stored water temperature is unfavorable to the growth of pneumococci, this can be achieved through the use of a thermostatic mixing valve, which is installed near the point of discharge." Furthermore, according to the September 2000 issue (page 46) of the American ASHRAE Journal: "In health care facilities, including nursing care facilities, hot water should be stored at or above 60℃, and where circulation is required, the return water should be at least 51℃."