Staying Survey-Ready in a Changing Accreditation Landscape
by Morgan Sagely, Product Manager — WMP, Phigenics
With the announcement of the Joint Commission’s new Accreditation 360 program, effective January 1, 2026, I almost immediately began receiving questions about what this means for the future of water management surveys and EC.02.05.02.
Since 2022, Environment of Care (EC) 02.05.02 has been the Joint Commission’s survey standard for water management, defined by four elements of performance:
- EP1: A multidisciplinary team responsible for developing, implementing, and managing the Water Management Program (WMP).
- EP2: A documented analysis of the building water system, including risk assessment and control measures.
- EP3: Documentation of all monitoring activities, including corrective actions when control limits or test results are exceeded.
- EP4: An annual review of the water management program, including after system changes or construction activities.
Let’s explore what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and what it means for water safety.
From Environment of Care (EC) to the Physical Environment (PE)
Beginning in 2024, the Joint Commission initiated a transition from the Environment of Care (EC) and Life Safety (LS) requirements, toward a more streamlined Physical Environment (PE) structure. Despite eliminating 714 requirements with Accreditation 360, water management requirements remain unchanged. EC.02.05.02 is now PE.04.01.05.
What can my team expect from Water Management surveys after January 1, 2026?
With the overall reduction of survey requirements, this means that what does remain will likely be under higher scrutiny. The largely untouched water management requirements signal the continued importance the Joint Commission places on water safety.
While the core requirements remain unchanged, take a moment to reassess your Water Management Program to ensure you are survey ready. The questions below can guide your internal review:
- EP1: Do we have the right water safety stakeholders on our team? Are we documenting our meetings and decisions?
- EP2: Is our water system analysis up to date and inclusive of all components and end use points?
- EP3: Are we applying effective verification and validation strategies? Are we documenting all monitoring activities, including corrective actions when control limits are not maintained?
- EP4: When was our last program reassessment? Is our documentation up to date?
When will PE.04.01.05 and other standards be available?
The Joint Commission has stated that new standards will be made publicly available and searchable on its website.
