Analyses of the Amount of Water Use and Preparedness for the Cutoff of Water Supply at Elderly Facilities in Tokyo

摘要

To obtain basic information about the emergency water supply for elderly people, the amount of water use and preparedness for the cutoff of water supply at elderly facilities in Tokyo were investigated. Questionnaires about water use in October 2012 and preparedness for the cutoff of the water supply were sent to 1,251 of these facilities located in Tokyo, and 214 answers were obtained. Based on the data from facilities not involving outpatient users, the daily water use per person admitted was calculated. Median values were 411 [L/day/person-admitted], and 431 [L/day/person-admitted] for the Designated Facility Covered by Public Aid Providing Long-Term Care to the Elderly (n = 13), and the Welfare Facilities for the Elderly (i.e., Nursing Home, Low-Cost Home, and Fee-Based Home for the Elderlies) (n = 22), respectively. Note that these values include the water used by workers and visitors at the facilities. Meanwhile, the preparedness was summarized based on all of the valid answers. As a result, the ratio of water receiving tank possession and the stock drinking water were high. However, there are still room for improvement of the introductions of the emergency water supply agreement and the emergency drill considering the cutoff of the water supply.