Importance of Legionella Testing For Every Home

You will have to make sure that your family is safe from any sickness and diseases brought
by bacteria and viruses found in water. Most of the times, you fail to realize that bacteria
might exist in the water. You also find it difficult to determine where these dangerous
elements live. Therefore, eradicating them becomes all the more challenging. The only hope
that you have is to disinfect the areas during household cleaning. However, this might not
be enough to prevent the threats associated with these microorganisms. Most of them can
lead to serious health issues because they thrive in the most unlikely places.
Checking Different Areas:
Even during the course of cleaning, you might have never bothered check your
showerheads, taps or other water distribution systems. You might be surprised to find the
amount of biofilm lining in these areas, which means that there are chances of Legionella
bacteria in the water distribution system. These bacteria are no more light matter, because
with its exposure people even die. It is crucial to carry out Legionella Testing, if you and
your family have been suffering from respiratory health issues. The test can be conducted in
the water distribution system of your house.
Causing Several Health Conditions:
The Legionella bacteria are the major causes of the Legionnaires disease. In addition to
that, they are even responsible for causing pulmonary issues of different kinds. If a family
member has asthma, the condition can worsen with the thriving of these bacteria. Elderly
family members can also have great health risks and they can be the victims of aggressive
attack of these bacteria. Therefore, if you dont want to subject yourself to suffering, you
should get Legionella Testing at the earliest. You will find lots of test kits available in the
market so that you can check the threats in your water system.
Producing Accurate Results:
You will be happy to know that the testing will produce accurate results in no time.
Consequently, the Legionella Testing will help in establishing whether the water distribution
system in your house is safe. If traces of bacteria are found in the system, you can look for
some solutions. However, if the level of bacteria is huge, you will have to sign up with
different companies to control the further growth of the bacteria. Do not forget that proper
cleaning and treatment is essential to make the distribution system safe once again.
Talk To The Professionals:
It is crucial to note that your water distribution system should be regularly inspected, at
least at an interval of three months. You can talk to the professionals for carrying out
Legionella Testing, because you can be more assured about the effectiveness of the result.
In fact, they can also identify the exact source and based on the level they can recommend
the exact measures for control. As a result, you can be certain that the bacteria level can be
brought under control in the best way, and you can breathe a sigh of relief.

Find Out Adequate Levels Of Secondary Disinfection

It is crucial to note that the growth of different microorganisms in water can pose many
different health hazards from using the water. Moreover, in order to recycle water, the
drinking water is treated for removing the pathogens that could otherwise make people sick.
In fact, for controlling the traces of microorganisms in water, Secondary Disinfection might
be sufficient. There are innumerable choices available for treating water so that the growth
of microorganisms can be controlled. Some of the common measures include chlorine, UV
rays and ozone. These are considered to be effective in disinfecting water where the level of
microorganism is low.
Pros And Cons:
You must be aware that each technique is associated with different pros and cons. The UV
ray, for example, is an excellent way to carry out Secondary Disinfection in water. This is
mainly because it can transmit the UV rays readily. At the same time, it is also crucial to
note that it can treat only the water that passes through the UV lamp. If a contaminant
happens to enter the water after the lamp, the water will no longer be considered as safe.
On the other hand, it is also a good option to go for chlorine and ozone, but they often leave
residue in water and consequently, it moves through the entire water system.
Ozone As An Effective Biocide:
One of the major advantages of ozone is that it is an extremely effective and powerful
biocide, and consequently, it works against a wide range of microorganisms. It has the
potential to kill the microorganisms quickly. Once it is used, it breaks down to oxygen.
Different ozone systems are designed to treat water in such a way so that it is effective in
controlling or removing the microorganisms from water. Consequently, it can be of great
help.
Using Chlorine Dioxide:
Chlorine dioxide is considered to be an effective agent that can help prevent the growth and
multiplication of Legionella bacteria. It is mainly responsible for causing Legionnaires
disease. It can also be used as a method of Secondary Disinfection because it controls
biofilm that can harbor the growth of the bacteria and other microorganisms in water. In
addition to that, it can even protect them from the effects of other biocides. It is even
capable of controlling amoeba that is also known to be a source of legionella. Hence, the
right procedure is required.
Industrial Water Application:
Industrial waters have to be disinfected on a regular basis so that they do not result in the
outbreak of diseases. Secondary Disinfection can also often help in purification of the
industrial water so that it can be safely used for wide varieties of purposes. However, prior
to adopting any measure, it is important to test and detect the level of microorganisms
found on water. On the basis of that, it will be easy to get hold of the right procedure that
should be adopted for the entire process. Consequently, human health will be safe and free
from any threats.

Why Followthe Guidelines Of ASHRAE Standard 188 For Water Management Plan
Legionella is one of the harmful bacteria that grow on water and it is even transmitted
through air. It can cause potential health issues, and can even take a toll on lives. Specific
industry guidance is required to control the growth and spread of the germ. Well, the long
awaited standard for controlling Legionella is now available with a new ASHRAE Standard
188. The standard helps in risk management in the water distribution systems. Developing
a specific industry standard has never been so easy and the company has to put in lots of
efforts for the entire process. The company set requirements for managing the risk of the
bacteria.
Available For Owners And Managers:
There is no denying that the bacteria can even cause less severe diseases like influenza.
Most cases of Legionellosis are mainly due to the exposure of bacteria associated with
building water systems. The ASHRAE Standard 188 is mainly intended for being used by
owners and managers in different buildings. Moreover, people associated with designing,
installing, constructing, operating and maintaining the centralized water systems can also
follow the standards in order to bring the growth and spread of the bacteria under control.
Requirements In The Standard:
There are some specific requirements in the standard and these include minimum risk
management requirements for portable and non-portable water systems. In addition to
that, it also includes the establishment of a team by building owners to conduct a water
management program, and they will have to comply with the legal standards. It also
involves provision of some specific and detailed requirements along with control strategies
for the bacteria. These have to be carefully documented along with the specific strategies
that need to be adopted for the entire procedure. The ASHRAE Standard 188 contains
different sections that can be followed both by knowledgeable and unaware people.
Measures For Control:
This is undoubtedly one of the most important part of managing the plan of water
distribution. The control measures can largely reduce the risk of the diseases associated
with the bacteria. In fact, if effective control measures are not selected, the entire water
management program will fail to reduce the risk. Moreover, it is also important to note that
each control measure has to be monitored effectively to determine whether it is performed,
as per the set standards. If the control limit is not fulfilled, corrective action will also have to
be implemented.
Understanding The Costs And Benefits:
As a building manager, if you have not yet adopted a management program for controlling
Legionella, you will have to incur some expenses. However, for a faculty that is already well
maintained, an effective water management plan can be easily developed and implemented.
As per the ASHRAE Standard 188, the cost in such a case will be minimal and building
managers can easily afford to pay the cost. Moreover, it is worth it because thousands of
lives are lost each year because of the bacteria. Many others endure horrible suffering and
even long term disabilities that cannot be overlooked.

Has Legionella Reduction Become a Necessity To Prevent Outbreak?

The death toll and the numbers of people hospitalized each year due to Legionnaires
Disease continue to rise. Health officials have started tracing the source of the harmful
bacteria, and it is often found that cooling towers are mainly responsible for the outbreak.
These towers are disinfected and therefore they are increasingly being monitored by the
health officials. Moreover, efforts are also made for Legionella Reduction so that further
outbreak of the disease can be controlled at the earliest. Therefore, it has become essential
for all the affected buildings to submit their long-term plans about how they want to prevent
the return of bacteria to the cooling towers.
The Main Cause:
When molds and algae build up in the dirty cooling tower, the warm water cycle of the
tower creates the ideal environment for the growth of the bacteria. Apart from the cooling
towers, several other areas can also promote the growth and thriving of the bacteria.
Ranging from the air conditioning systems to swimming pools and shower heads, these
areas are susceptible to the growth of the bacteria. However, there are steps for Legionella
Reduction. Ongoing and regular maintenance can certainly one of the most effective steps in
controlling the further outbreaks of legionella.
Preventive Maintenance Tasks:
There are some preventive maintenance tasks involved, and these should be followed by all
people responsible for water management systems. Inspecting the towers monthly and
looking for sediments is essential because these can result in the buildup of the legionella
bacteria. The basin surfaces of the tower should also be cleaned so that removing the
contaminants can be easier. In addition to that, treating the circulating water, draining and
cleaning, etc. are some of the most crucial steps that you should take to prevent the
outbreak of the situation.
Conducting The Method Of Copper Silver Ionization:
When the traces of legionella bacteria grow, it becomes essential to treat the water with
copper silver ionization. In fact, this procedure can not only help in Legionella Reduction by
deactivating it, but also improves the quality of the water, as a whole. The ion remains in
water for a long period of time. As a result, it is highly effective in disinfecting the water and
making it absolutely safe to use. Increasing numbers of professional companies are
adopting this method in order to reduce and prevent the further spread of the bacteria
through air and water.
Seeking Professional Help:
Prior to adopting any measure for reducing the level, it is important to test the presence
and the source of the same. In addition to that, you can be assured that testing will give
accurate results regarding the amount of Legionella in water. On the basis of that, you can
adopt the necessary method for Legionella Reduction. If the need arises, you should also
seek the help of the professionals because they can adopt the right measure based on the
requirements of control. As a result, the water will be safe and the disease outbreak will
reduce with less threats.