It has been a HOT summer over most of the country, and there has been an uptick in Legionella cases.
According to the National Institutes of Health, “the probability of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) being diagnosed as Legionnaires’ disease (LD)… increases when weather is warm and humid.” Higher temperatures and humidity increased the rate of CAP and LD diagnoses by 3.1-fold compared with normal temperatures and humidity below 50%.
Legionella cases spring up weekly and require time and cost to investigate, not to mention legal issues and bad publicity.
As one of the largest sampling firms in the Midwest, Wellington Environmental performs over 400 Legionella tests annually. Many times, the sampling leads to a simple solution such as increasing hot water storage temperatures or replacing older shower heads. The following tips are a simple way to aid in preventing LD at your facility.
Follow these Tips to aid in preventing Legionella growth in potable water systems.
- Hot Water: Maintain hot water storage temperatures at or above 140ᵒF and ensure delivery temperatures are at least 122ᵒF to your fixtures.
- Cold Water: Keep cold water temperatures below 68ᵒF. Legionella growth can begin when cold water temperatures are >68ᵒ to 113ᵒF.
- Stagnation: Avoid water stagnation in potable water systems. This means understanding infrequently used areas of the building, vacant rooms, and showers.
- Flushing & Cleaning: Don’t forget to FLUSH all water outlets, not just the seldom-used fixtures. This helps circulate fresh, treated water. Regularly clean or replace fixtures like showerheads, aerators, and filters.
Your Water Management Program includes these steps; make sure someone is assigned to perform the recommendations and document the actions taken.
