{"id":77768,"date":"2026-07-27T10:11:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steelcobelimed.com\/?p=77768"},"modified":"2026-07-27T10:11:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:11:25","slug":"facility-services-water-and-steam-utilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steelcobelimed.com\/us\/facility-services-water-and-steam-utilities\/","title":{"rendered":"Facility Services: Water and Steam Utilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Authored by Jonathan Carfora, Technical Services Trainer<\/em><\/p>\n

Imagine that you\u2019re driving to work, and suddenly your car stops. You glance at the dashboard and see the needle on your fuel gauge is on \u2018E\u2019. Oh no! Without water or steam, sterile processing machinery is like a car without fuel. The machines won\u2019t work without the correct utility supplies.<\/p>\n

Just like a car, it\u2019s also important that the utilities supplied are of the right quantity and quality. If the fuel you put into your car was diluted with water and other contaminants, it wouldn\u2019t run properly. The same is true for sterile processing equipment. The equipment will only operate as well as the utilities supplied to them allow. This means that having your utility supplies in specification with the requirements found in each device\u2019s technical manual.<\/p>\n

The two most used utilities in the sterile processing department (SPD) are domestic water<\/strong> and steam<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Domestic Water<\/h3>\n

What is it?<\/strong>
\nJust like in your home, domestic water is the hot and cold water that is supplied to your sterile processing department.<\/p>\n

Where does it come from?<\/strong>
\nDomestic water is supplied by local utility services.<\/p>\n

What types of machines use it?<\/strong>
\nUsed almost everywhere in the SPD including sinks, automated washers, ultrasonic cleaners, boilers, cart washers, water purification systems, etc.<\/p>\n

How does it impact my equipment\u2019s performance?<\/strong>
\nThe three biggest factors that impact the domestic water supply are pressure, temperature, and water hardness.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Pressure<\/strong> \u2013 Low supply pressures can increase the cycle run times on certain devices like automated washers and ultrasonic cleaners.<\/li>\n
  2. Water Hardness<\/strong> \u2013 This describes the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium found in the water. Over time, too much water hardness will develop a white residue on equipment surfaces known as \u2018scale\u2019. This scale can interfere with the operations of mechanical components and make it more difficult to adequately clean surgical instruments. It can also cause spotting and discoloration on instruments.<\/li>\n
  3. Temperature<\/strong> \u2013 If the cold-water temperature is too high, proteins found in blood can adhere to surgical instruments, making them difficult to clean. If the hot water temperatures are too high, enzymatic detergents can be influenced, resulting in poor cleaning outcomes. If the hot water temperatures are too low, equipment run times can increase.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Steam<\/h3>\n

    What is it?<\/strong>
    \nWater in its vapor state.<\/p>\n

    Where does it come from?<\/strong>
    \nSupplied by boilers and\/or steam generators.<\/p>\n

    What types of machines use it?<\/strong>
    \nPrimarily used by steam sterilizers but also used to heat other equipment like instrument washers, cart washers, etc.<\/p>\n

    How does it impact my equipment\u2019s performance?<\/strong>
    \nSteam Quality, Pressure, and Purity are the biggest factors that influence the effectiveness of your steam system.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Steam Quality<\/strong> \u2013 This describes the amount of water present in the steam. Steam used for SPD applications must have very little water present. Too much water in the steam supply will cause problems such as wet packs.<\/li>\n
    2. Purity<\/strong> \u2013 This describes the number of contaminants such as rust or mineral particles contained inside the steam. This contamination can result in scale deposits on the chamber, and spotting\/staining surgical instruments. Many facilities choose to use a separate \u2018clean steam generator\u2019 for their sterilizer to increase their steam purity.<\/li>\n
    3. Pressure<\/strong> – In a steam system, pressure, and temperature correlate with one another. This means that if your pressure supply is low, your temperature will also be low and vice versa.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      When checking steam pressure, it\u2019s important that the system is in a dynamic state. This means the steam should be actively supplying the loads on the system.<\/p>\n