PERRYTON, Texas (March 11, 2015)
Ahead of World Water Day on March 22, Ochiltree General Hospital (OGH) has announced a new initiative that will save more than 490,000 gallons of water per year.
As part of a two-phase approach to infrastructure improvements at OGH and its facilities, the hospital has kicked-off the first step in replacing essential equipment that has aged past its useful lifespan.
“It is estimated that the hospital overpays $54,000 annually to utilities as a result of the inefficiencies of our infrastructure that has served well past its life expectancy,” says Nathan Staggs, administrator and CEO of OGH. “Our new initiative to get these elements replaced will usher in a new era of savings and consumption. In fact, the project is estimated to have a projected payback of $4,367,407 over the next 15 years,” according to Staggs
To reduce overall water consumption at the hospital, low flow plumbing fixtures and flow restrictors will be installed in strategic areas. The new equipment will allow the facility to reduce its overall water consumption, thus saving money for the hospital.
Plumbing fixtures and piping at the hospital are estimated to be operating between 24 and 29 years past their life expectancy. The infrastructure project will provide the opportunity to make important upgrades for efficiencies and to prevent hardware breakdown in the future.
The hospital’s infrastructure project is being accomplished in partnership with McKinstry, a leader in energy savings performance contracts. The 55-year-old company has significant expertise in helping design and improve energy savings programs.
According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, the Texas Panhandle is in a state of severe to extreme drought. The Center released a new map on March 5, which focuses on broad-scale drought conditions across the United States.
“Water supply is not always a big topic this time of year, but as the warmer summer months loom, it will of course be a major topic once again,” Staggs explained. “It’s time that Ochiltree General Hospital do its part in the community to help conserve precious resources and become a leader in utility efficiencies in Ochiltree County.”
World Water Day was established in 1933 where the United Nations General Assembly designated March 22 as the first Water Day. Each year, a new theme is celebrated each year, focusing on a different issue as it relates to the topic.
For 2015, the theme for World Water Day is “Water Sustainable Development.”
Staggs says that this year’s theme is quite appropriate as the hospital is kicking off its infrastructure improvements project.
“The time is now to do our part to promote water conservation in our region,” Staggs explained. “We hope that other organizations and institutions in the area will follow suit.”
In addition to water conservation and savings, McKinstry is helping OGH create efficiencies in lighting; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and controls; electrical systems; and a complete redesign of the hospital’s lobby.
About Ochiltree General Hospital
Ochiltree General Hospital provides healthcare for residents of Ochiltree County. Founded in 1967, Ochiltree General Hospital is a 25-bed healthcare facility that offers a wealth of medical services including: 24 hour emergency care, advanced radiology services including CT scanning and MRIs, outpatient lab, surgical services, physical rehabilitation, assisted living, home health and hospice services, and more. For additional information, please visit www.ochiltreehospital.com.
About McKinstry
Founded in 1960 McKinstry is a full-service, design-build-operate-and-maintain (DBOM) firm specializing in consulting, construction, energy and facility services. The firm’s innovative, integrated delivery methodology provides clients with a single point of accountability that drives waste and redundancy out of the design/build process. With more than 1,700 professional staff and trades people throughout the United States and operations in more than 20 states, McKinstry advocates collaborative, sustainable solutions designed to ensure occupant comfort, improve systems efficiency, reduce facility operational costs and optimize profitability. For more information, visit www.mckinstry.com.