Reducing Water Waste at OR Scrub Sinks

Surgeons are wasting an estimated 337,596 liters of water annually during surgical scrubs, representing 34.2% of total usage.

• The median water wasted per wet scrub at timer-controlled sinks is 10 liters.
• Wet scrubs are performed in 25.9% of cases by attending surgeons and OR staff.

Optimizing scrub practices could lead to significant water conservation without compromising patient safety.

• Timer-controlled sinks waste more water compared to knee-operated sinks.