STUDENT GUIDE

MODULE 23: M ANAGEMENT

OF

HEALTHCARE WASTEWATER

MODULE 23: MANAGEMENT OF HEALTHCARE WASTEWATER

Estimated Time
Module Overview

Learning Objectives

Student Preparation

Review Questions

Lecture: 30 minutes
Activity- discuss homework: 30 minutes
Describe sources of wastewater in a healthcare facility
Describe characteristics and hazards associated with wastewater from
healthcare facilities
Describe treatment and disposal options for wastewater from
healthcare facilities
Identify sources and hazards of wastewater in your healthcare facility
Identify appropriate methods collection, treatment and disposal of
wastewater
Describe your facilitys wastewater management program
Discuss possible options to improve management of waste water in
your facility
Blue Book Chapter 9
Obtain information about what happens to the wastewater from your
healthcare facility, obtain copies of your facilitys wastewater
discharge permit if any as well as any wastewater test results, and
complete your homework.
What are some major sources of wastewater within your healthcare
facility? What about minor sources?
What are some public and environmental health hazards associated
with healthcare wastewater? Are there certain hazards you perceive
within your own facility?
What happens to the wastewater in your facility after it goes down the
drain? What procedures does your facility use in the overall
management of wastewater and other hazardous liquid wastes? What
safety measures are in place? Does the facility use waste
minimization techniques to limit the amount of discharged liquids?
3

Does your facility have wastewater treatment on-site? If not, what pretreatment methods are used, if any, before release to the main
municipal sewer system? Are septic tanks and cesspools used?
What are the country/region-specific regulations and guidelines for
managing wastewater (segregation, treatment, disposal, etc.) from
healthcare facilities?
Discuss some ways to minimize wastewater in your facility.

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INSERT READINGS/REFERENCES/HOMEWORK

ACTIVITY : MODULE 23: HOMEWORK

The purpose of this activity is to outline the wastewater management strategies at your facility and
discuss ways to minimize wastewater.
Module 23 Homework: Management of Wastewater
You will need to:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Obtain information about what happens to the wastewater from your healthcare facility.
Obtain copies of your facilitys wastewater discharge permit if any and understand what it means.
Discuss how you could improve wastewater collection and disposal in your healthcare facility.
Discuss wastewater minimization techniques.

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AND

SUMMARY

NOTES