Left: Two sealed freestanding see-through units frame the
entrance to a waiting area.
Below: Two wall-recessed, double-sided sealed water features
greet patients and visitors in a children's oncology center lobby.
for unique location considerations. For example: 1) A water
feature located near doors that are opened frequently will
be impacted by outdoor environmental changes such
as pollen and pollution; 2) Indoor features should not be
located near HVAC feeds or returns. These can increase
evaporation and add particulates to the water system, thus
increasing maintenance.
Maintenance best practices
Facility ownership and commitment to incorporating the
maintenance plan into overall facility planning is the most
critical step. Even the best system can have issues if forgotten or maintenance drops off over time.
All systems should have a defined audit plan that both
regularly verifies maintenance effectiveness and provides
a method to define and perform adjustments before or if
an issue develops. A common source for auditing is water
testing. The longer a feature operates, the more consistent
it becomes. Each feature is unique and some may take up
to a year before a repetitive routine can be identified.
Common water treatment systems may include one or
more of the following: Ultraviolet sterilizers (treats some
algaes and bacteria), biological and mechanical filtration,
activated carbon (improves water clarity and helps reduce
(1) Diette GB, Lechtzin N, Haponik E, Devrotes A, Rubin HR; 2003 Mar;
Chest. 123(3):941-8. Distraction therapy with nature sights and sounds
reduces pain during flexible bronchoscopy: a complementary approach to
routine analgesia. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12628899
(2) Judith Heerwagen, Ph.D., and Betty Hase IIDA, ASID; March 1, 2001;
Building Biophilia: Connecting People to Nature in Building Design.
www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-93610205.html
28 Medical Construction & Design | November/December 2013
undesirable water scents), reverse osmosis (reduces
water particulates) and chemical treatments (chlorine,
bromine).
An effective system can work well with a few wellcombined components and maintenance is more
likely to be kept up if it is simple and understandable. Be
cautious of systems with automatic daily water changes.
These only change water and do nothing to address developing biofilms (layer of organic matter buildup on surfaces
in which bacteria love to hide). Some new technologies
recently implemented include paint coating that deters
biofilm buildup, sealed waterwall system mentioned previously and an all-organic, self-adjusting water conditioner.
The water feature industry, like others, is constantly
evolving, improving and developing solutions and
innovations. New designs, materials and technologies
are also creating new applications for water features
such as "locating features," which help draw people into
communication areas.
Be creative, be adventuresome and do not hesitate to
embrace the expertise of a well-qualified manufacturer
when considering decorative water features for designs,
projects and facilities.
Peri Damon, Rock'N Crab Aquatics LLC, is a recent contributor to
the FGI 2014 Health Care Facility Guidelines development and was
a presenter at the ASHE 2013 PDC summit on "How to Design Safe
Water Features." She can be reached at pdamon@rockncrab.com.
(3) Upali Nanda, Ph.D., Assoc, AIA , EDAC; 2001; Impact of Visual Art on
Waiting Behavior in the Emergency Department, Center for Health Design
Research Coalition. www.healthdesign.org/chd/research/impact-visual-artwaiting-behavior-emergency-department
(4) 2011 Legionella Risk Management Inc., Effective Engineering Solutions to
Engineering Systems Pathogens, 5/4/11. www.legionellae.org
www.mcdmag.com