following is a re-post of a recent article on the IDEXX laboratories website. This is very useful information for facilities managers who are dealing with reopening buildings in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted countless offices, hotels, businesses, and facilities to close globally. Man-made water systems once used on a regular basis have suddenly become dormant. As these buildings sit empty, their Legionella pneumophila risks increase. The bacteria species is more likely to grow and spread in systems with stagnant or standing water, creating potential breeding grounds for Legionnaires' disease in the process.
Environmental scientists caution that buildings with low or no occupancy face a higher risk for Legionella growth in their water systems. They urge building owners and managers to follow industry-accepted protocols for system shutdown and startup during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a water lab manager, you'll want to understand the water quality degradation issue in vacant buildings so you can better support your clients now and as they prepare for safe reopenings.
The connection between Legionella pneumophila contamination and water stagnation in building distribution systems is well-known. When buildings are used less frequently or shut down completely, water quality degradation becomes a silent but serious issue, warns the nonprofit Environmental Science, Policy & Research Institute (ESPRI) in a new brief called Building Water Quality and Coronavirus: Flushing Guidance for Periods of Low or No Use.
As building water systems go untouched, the disinfectant in the water dissipates and microorganisms grow on pipes, fixtures, and tanks. "Some of these [microorganisims] may cause disease if they are consumed or inhaled as droplets," the ESPRI explains. In addition, mechanical equipment like cooling towers, boilers, and pumps might not get routine maintenance, and backflow prevention devices could skip annual test cycles.
Similar risks are noted in a study by the Environmental Protection Agency that was published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology last year. In studying taps at residences and offices around the U.S., they found that Legionella pneumophila, Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, and Mycobacterium avium occur sporadically. Water stagnation — which they define as increased water age, lack of movement, and lack of disinfection residual — within distribution systems can create niches where waterborne microorganisms flourish, the researchers explain. This can compromise the quality of water transported to taps, ultimately putting public health at risk.
"Biofilm formation within a structure is another factor that should be considered, as it relates to persistence, especially in large office buildings or vacation-only homes with opportunities for water stagnation where taps are occasionally not used for extended periods of time," the researchers write.
To protect public health, it's crucial for building owners and managers to safeguard their water systems from Legionella. In the U.S. and Europe, about 1 in 10 people who contract Legionnaires' disease will die from it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID).
The ESCMID recently issued guidance for managing Legionella in building water systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. They identify several risk factors for Legionella growth, including:
When restarting a system that's been closed or had the hot water shut off for more than one month, the ESCMID recommends monitoring temperatures and biocide levels, if applicable, for at least 48 hours before taking Legionella samples from the sentinel outlets. Microbiological samples taken too soon after disinfection could give false-negative results.
The ESPRI also offers recommendations on preparing buildings for re-occupancy. In buildings with at-risk populations, such as the elderly, the institute suggests sending water samples to a qualified lab for analysis. Flushing the entire building will help mitigate problems that emerged when water was stagnant, the guidance says. After flushing, additional water samples should be collected to determine whether these efforts were successful or should continue.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented public health challenges around the globe. You can support building managers and owners by helping to curb the spread of Legionnaires' disease. This two-step process starts by helping clients understand the risks surrounding stagnant water, then providing them with timely testing so they can reopen their buildings safely.
Please note that Access Analytical offices will be closed on November 28th and 29th in observance of Thanksgiving. Please contact us if you need to make any special arrangements for sampling.
We hope that you and your families have a wonderful holiday!
During the past several years there has been an increased focus on the need to monitor health and long term care facilities for Legionella contamination. However, it is important to remember that any building with a complex water system can harbor this persistent bacteria. Hotels in particular are at risk because they have complex systems and they often house guests for multiple days who shower and regularly use water.
Dan Broder with IDEXX laboratories has written an informative article that appeared in Lodging magazine. The article outlines methods for reducing the risk of Legionnaires disease at a hotel facility. Please see below
There are some questions that inevitably come up when testing both potable and non-potable water samples for Legionella.....It usually starts off with, "I got my test results back and there is Legionella present!" And is followed up with, "Is this bad? How much is too much? What do I need to do?"
All of those are very good questions and sometimes the answers are a bit hard to come by. In order to address these questions one has to look to the currently established OSHA guidelines for help. Note that I said guidelines, not law, there is a major difference. The only state that has established laws in place regarding Legionella contamination is the state of New York, every other state currently follows OSHA guidelines or may have established their own limits in a few cases.
According to OSHA the following limits should be used a guide for deciding on further action:
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COLONY FORMING UNITS (CFU) OF LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA PER 100 MILLILITERS OF SAMPLE
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Action
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Cooling Tower Water
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Domestic Water
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Humidifier / Vaporizer Water
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1
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10,000
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1,000
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100
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2
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100,000
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10,000
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1,000
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Action 1: Prompt cleaning and/or biocide treatment of the system.
Action 2: Immediate cleaning and/or biocide treatment. Take prompt steps to prevent employee exposure.
*Note that Access Analytical reports results to 1 CFU per 100mls of sample as listed above. Other labs
may express results in different units of measurement.
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Customers asked and we listened!
Access Analytical utilizes the IDEXX laboratories Legiolert test method to rapidly detect Legionella in both potable and non-potable water samples. This method is applicable for use in routine monitoring of health care facilities. Please contact Access Analytical if you have questions about setting up a preventative testing program at your facility.
