Healthcare facilities have heightened obligations to provide safe water for patients with compromised immune systems and for critical medical applications including dialysis, surgical instrument washing, and sterile preparations. PFAS contamination in medical facility water raises specific concerns beyond ordinary drinking water safety.
Hemodialysis and PFAS
Patients undergoing hemodialysis are exposed to extremely large volumes of water — typically 120 to 180 liters per treatment session — that contacts their blood through the dialysis membrane. While dialysis water purification systems are designed for stringent water quality, they are not specifically designed or certified for PFAS removal. PFAS removal from dialysis water is an area of growing concern and ongoing research given patients’ inability to eliminate PFAS through the dialysis process.
Sterile Water Applications
Pharmaceutical-grade purified water and water for injection (WFI) used in compounding and sterile preparations undergo extensive treatment including RO and deionization that also removes PFAS. The multi-stage treatment required for pharmaceutical water quality provides comprehensive PFAS removal as a co-benefit, making this a lower-risk application than general facility water uses.
Drinking Water for Vulnerable Patients
Immunocompromised patients, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and organ transplant recipients may have heightened sensitivity to contaminant exposures. Hospital water systems should evaluate PFAS levels in their municipal supply and consider point-of-use filtration for patient room taps where vulnerable populations drink and prepare food during extended stays.