FEATURE “The total cost of escape of water claims


has increased year on year to 28%, and insurers are


paying out nearly £4m per day on claims in the UK alone.”


community clinics, 15 major hospitals and hundreds of labs and offices and over 40,000 employees serving four million patients, it is a complex business. It needed a simple and adaptable solution that would suit its different facilities. With so many facilities, they had experienced many leaks over the years – some of them very costly. A recent leak on the 9th floor resulted in water damage to elevators, disrupting electricity and effectively shutting down the building for days.


The management team needed a solution that would be as easy to operate by staff in small local clinics and by professional teams in large facilities. Unified management was required across facilities that operate 24/7 and those that are empty during weekends and holidays. Some facilities are simple and include a toilet and kitchenette, while others are complex facilities such as a hospital. Communication is key in sensitive locations where Wi-Fi connectivity is unavailable.


Because the water intelligence devices learn how water is used in each location, their detection logic is adapted to each site’s specific use patterns. In this case, site administrators implemented action policies that met their site’s unique needs: Some applied alert-only policies, others applied automated shut-off at all times, while some opted to alert during working hours and shutoff with increased sensitivity during off hours when the site is unoccupied. An integrated solution for maintenance teams in the larger facilities and in small offices was implemented, and the executive teams were able to access centralised monitoring and analytics to understand water use trends and KPIs across the entire estate.


The UK Society of Claims Professionals states in ‘Escape of Water - Good Practice Guide for Claims Professionals’ (January 2019) that ‘Escape of Water’ has become a common and significant issue. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the total cost of escape of water claims has increased year on year to 28%, and insurers are paying out nearly £4m per day on claims in the UK alone.


www.tomorrowsfm.com


WINT solutions are successfully deployed at thousands of locations worldwide. Reducing the risk of major property damage from burst pipes and undetected leaks has enabled organisations to avoid costly water damage, lost productivity, and increased insurance premiums. In addition to preventing water leak damage, the system also detects and alerts staff of ongoing waste, from sources such as malfunctioning devices and unnoticed non-damaging leaks.


Organisations that use the technology report savings of 20%-25% of their ongoing water consumption, helping them reduce their ongoing water consumption and improve their sustainability stance while reducing their environmental footprint. Afterall, water is an increasingly scarce and valuable resource and a source of high risk in any facility – a reality that is not lost on many healthcare facilities professionals who are embracing advanced technologies.


www.wint.ai TOMORROW’S FM | 41


We see examples of avoidable ‘escape of water’ occurrences and aften disastrous consequences all too regularly. In 2019 an NHS hospital in Wales saw its water bill more than double after suffering a major leak. The hospital was charged about £45,000 per month (for an unspecified period) compared to its average monthly bill of £20,000. During the leak, the hospital used around 17,000 cubic metres of water per month, up from 8,000 cubic metres. Work was immediately carried out to fix the issue, but officials admitted at the time that the source had taken some time to locate: “Like any water leak that is subsurface, detecting and locating can take some resources and time to find.” The board’s overall water bill went up to £1.67m in the 2018/19 financial year – a significant increase compared to the previous 12 months.


In December the governor of Georgia in the United States declared a State of Emergency after a water pipe burst at Grady Memorial, the state’s largest hospital. The 24- inch pipe burst on the sixth floor causing massive flooding throughout the facility. The hospital suffered severe water damage on multiple floors and electrical issues across the building. It is expected to take three months before the repairs are completed. The hospital had to transfer 150 of its patients to alternative facilities, creating significant load in hospitals throughout the region.


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