Standards › Standard 2B › Plans and templates
Plan / template · WAT-PLN-001 · Version 1.1 · Approved by the ASF Expert Committee
Supports: 2B.3
At a glance
- Know the stored water supply and where it is.
- On interruption, tell clinical teams and restrict water use to essential purposes.
- Use the stored supply for drinking and clinical care.
- Restore the supply, flush outlets and retest before normal use.
- Record the event and review the plan afterwards.
- Stop and get help straight away if: the stored supply is running out and no replacement is arranged.
1. Purpose
To keep patients and staff supplied with safe water when the mains supply fails, and to restore normal use safely [EC].
2. Scope
| Applies to | Facilities, clinical leads, and the chief executive |
| Locations | The whole facility |
| When | On any loss or reduction of water supply, and yearly review |
| Does not apply to | Dialysis water, covered by the dialysis service plan |
3. Definitions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stored supply | Water kept in tanks or bottles for emergency use |
| Essential use | Drinking, medicines, wound care, hand hygiene, sterilisation and other care that needs safe water |
4. Background
A water interruption affects drinking, hygiene and sterilisation. Planned responses prevent the most serious risks. Criterion 2B.3 requires a contingency plan, not an assumption that supply will continue.
5. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility | Competence |
|---|---|---|
| Facilities manager | Activates the plan; arranges supply; restores and retests | Facilities competence |
| Chief executive | Decides on closures or service changes | Executive leadership |
| Clinical leads | Tell their teams; prioritise essential use | Clinical management |
6. Materials and equipment
| Item | Requirement | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Stored water supply | Volume set by the committee for the expected duration (EC) | Checked monthly |
| Bottled water for drinking | Stock set by the committee | In date |
| Contact list | Water supplier, testing lab, facilities staff | Current |
7. Safety
- Do not drink, wash or prepare food with water not confirmed safe.
- Do not use water for sterilisation unless the supply is confirmed safe.
8. Before you start
- Check the stored supply and the contact list each month.
9. Procedure
Step 1. Confirm the interruption.
- Confirm the loss of supply and the expected duration with the supplier.
- Inform the chief executive and clinical leads at once.
Key point: Early confirmation allows early action.
Step 2. Restrict use.
- Tell all areas to use stored water only for essential purposes.
- Stop non-essential use such as garden or cleaning where it uses drinking water.
- Put notices on all outlets.
Key point: Reducing demand extends the stored supply.
Step 3. Supply essential needs.
- Use stored or bottled water for drinking and medicines.
- Arrange delivery of additional water if the interruption lasts longer than the stored supply covers.
- Check stored water quality as the plan sets (EC).
Key point: Stored water must still be safe to drink.
Step 4. Restore and retest.
- Once supply returns, flush each outlet for the time set (EC).
- Test the water before lifting restrictions (WAT-SOP-001).
- Record the restoration and the test results.
Key point: Restoring supply does not mean the water is safe. Test first.
Step 5. Review the event.
- Record the cause, duration and actions on the incident log.
- Review the plan within 30 days and update it.
Key point: Each interruption shows where the plan needs strengthening.
10. Decision points
- If the interruption is expected to last beyond the stored supply, the chief executive decides on service changes or transfers.
11. Special situations
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Dialysis or sterilisation services | Each service follows its own water plan, which must link to this one. |
12. Escalation
- Interruptions are reported to the chief executive at once and to the governing body at the next meeting.
13. Monitoring
| Measure | Target | Frequency | Owner | If not met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stored supply checked monthly | 100% | Monthly | Facilities manager | Escalate to chief executive |
| Plan reviewed yearly | Yes | Yearly | Facilities manager | Escalate to governing body |
| Interruptions with restoration tested before lifting restrictions | 100% | Each event | Facilities manager | Review |
14. Records
| Record | Kept in | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly stored-supply check | Facilities file | the period set by the facility’s records policy years |
| Interruption record | Incident log | the period set by the facility’s records policy years |
15. Training
- Facilities and clinical leads are briefed on the plan yearly, with a desktop exercise (EC).
16. Related documents
| ID | Title | Use |
|---|---|---|
| WAT-SOP-001 | Water Quality Testing and Safety | Testing before use |
| FAC-SOP-002 | Failure Logging and Analysis | Interruptions are logged |
| GOV-PLN-002 | Quality Improvement Plan | Review feeds the plan |
17. Evidence
| Reference | Note |
|---|---|
| E-009 | ASF Expert Committee consensus. Stored volume and flushing time are EC decisions. |
18. Change history
| Version | Date | What changed | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | the date of approval | First version | Approved by the ASF Expert Committee |
| 1.1 | the date of approval | Internal quality review: corrected cross-references, status wording and document control | Approved by the ASF Expert Committee |
E-learning for this document
- Water Source Testing & Documentation (WATER-01)
- Legionella Prevention & Hot Water Systems (WATER-03)
References
- Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Expert Committee consensus on Standard 1. (E-009)