Joint Commission utility and water records under the new PE chapter
From 1 January 2026, The Joint Commission replaced the Environment of Care chapter for hospitals with a Physical Environment chapter and new National Performance Goals. Its utility and water management standards still ask for monitoring and records. Aqueduct supplies them from live sensors and meters.
Who it applies to
Accredited US hospitals and critical access hospitals, most of which use accreditation for Medicare deemed status; each element of performance maps to a CMS Condition of Participation. Under the Accreditation 360 changes, more than 700 hospital requirements were removed and detailed code items moved into the survey process guide.
Standards once cited as EC.02.05.01 (utilities) and EC.02.05.02 (water management) now sit under PE.04.01.03 and PE.04.01.05. The old element on pressure, air exchange and filtration was deleted in favor of NFPA 99-2012, which brings in ASHRAE 170-2008.
Standards that need measured data
Standard and element numbers from the 2026 hospital manual. Your facility team and surveyors handle accreditation.
| Requirement | What it asks for | Data Aqueduct supplies |
|---|---|---|
| PE.04.01.05 EP 2, water management | Monitoring protocols and acceptable ranges for control measures, such as temperature, disinfectant residual and pH. | Hot and cold water temperatures at control points, logged continuously. |
| PE.04.01.05 EP 3, results | All monitoring results and corrective actions documented when limits are missed. | Each excursion kept with its alert, work order and closing reading. |
| PE.04.01.01 EP 1, facilities code | Meet NFPA 99-2012, which covers ventilation in critical spaces. | Room pressure, temperature and humidity in operating and isolation rooms. |
| PE.04.01.01 EP 3, ventilation and temperature | Proper ventilation, lighting and temperature control in pharmacy, patient care and food preparation areas. | Temperature and CO2 per zone, with time out of range. |
| PE.04.01.03 EP 3, emergency power | Generators and emergency power meet NFPA 99, 110 and 101. | Generator run status and load during each monthly test. |
| NPG.11.03.01, utility disruptions | Written procedures for utility failures, with backup for medication refrigeration. | Alerts on refrigerator temperature and supply interruptions. |
Numbers that matter
Minimum monthly generator test under load, carried from the former EC.02.05.07 into PE.04.01.03.
Source: The Joint CommissionHospital requirements removed under Accreditation 360 from 1 January 2026.
Source: The Joint CommissionRelated standards
sites in 21 countries run on Aqueduct.
and 9 clinics in one of India’s top hospital chains.
US airport running water intelligence on Aqueduct.
of commercial real estate under Aqueduct.
FMCG manufacturing campus.
operations run on Aqueduct.
Related
Common questions
Not for hospitals. Since 1 January 2026 utility systems fall under PE.04.01.03 and water management under PE.04.01.05. Other program manuals may change on different dates, so check yours; records already kept stay valid as evidence, only the citation changes.
No specific culture test is required. The standard asks for monitoring protocols and acceptable ranges for control measures, CMS says it does not require water cultures, and the program team decides what to test. Aqueduct supplies continuous temperatures at control points between tests.
Into NFPA 99-2012, which hospitals must meet under PE.04.01.01. That code includes ASHRAE 170-2008, so pressure relationships for operating and isolation rooms still apply and surveyors still look for evidence. See ASHRAE 170.
Aqueduct records when a generator starts, the load it carries and how long it runs, so the test under load is evidenced from readings rather than a signed sheet. The testing itself and the NFPA 110 paperwork stay with your facility team.
See Aqueduct on your own facility.
Bring a site, a utility bill or a question. We will show you where the loss is.