Individuals who are responsible for keeping their building’s water system safe and in good repair should include Legionella management as part of their strategy. Legionella can flourish in any freshwater system, so undergoing regular risk assessments is an important part of remaining vigilant against this potentially dangerous bacteria. Even if your water has never been contaminated with Legionella in the past, risk assessments are still important to ensure that an outbreak can be stopped before it begins.
Protecting Against Legionella
Legionella is a gram-negative bacteria that can exist in any type of freshwater. Whether a building’s water supply comes from a municipal line or well water, Legionella can still infiltrate if conditions are right. The bacteria is transmitted to humans when contaminated water vapor or droplets come into contact with a person’s mucous membranes, predominantly when inhaled into the lungs.
Once an individual has come into contact with water containing Legionella, they may begin to experience symptoms as soon as a few hours later depending upon how their body responds. The least severe illness caused by Legionella, known as Pontiac fever, produces mild flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, muscle aches, nausea, and loss of appetite; some people lose weight as a result of the combined diarrhea and disinterest in food caused by Pontiac fever. However, Legionella is also responsible for a much more serious illness: Legionnaires’ disease. Causing severe pneumonia and difficulty breathing, Legionnaires’ disease can prove to be fatal in as many as 10% of the people who get it. This is why ensuring that water systems are free from Legionella bacteria is a serious concern.
Advantages From A Professional Legionella Risk Assessment
A professional Legionella risk assessment offers a number of advantages over attempting to ascertain the health of a water system on your own. Legionella compliance companies have years of experience identifying both telltale markers of the bacteria and also more subtle indicators that Legionella could be hiding in your system.
Helps With Legionella Compliance
Businesses that operate machinery such as cooling towers may be required to ensure that they comply with all government regulations regarding the presence of Legionella in their systems. A comprehensive risk assessment can fulfill the requirement for annual or biannual review and ensure that businesses with Legionella strategies are updated with the latest technology and best practices.
Lets Experts Take The Lead
Experts have insight into complex Legionella issues and how to solve them. Performing a thorough Legionella risk assessment requires more than a simple water test; it also comprises an examination of the structure of a building’s water system and identification of potentially problematic areas, such as dead legs where water does not regularly flow and sections where the water temperature is too high or too low, contributing to bacterial growth.
Grants Peace Of Mind
A Legionella assessment expert can grant peace of mind that your system has been thoroughly examined and that there are no unidentified problem areas that may pose a threat later. In addition, the assessment performed by an expert is typically usable as part of any required regulatory certification, removing one part of the process and making compliance simpler.
Proper Equipment Is Used In Assessment
A professional focusing in Legionella risk assessments will have access to industry standard tools that may be prohibitively expensive or specialized for the average building owner. This ensures that the assessment is completed in detail and with the highest quality; it also offers testing and examination services with the highest accuracy in the industry.
Professionals Can Make Recommendations
Once a Legionella expert has reviewed your system, you can receive individualized recommendations based upon the current condition, type, and use of your water system. These recommendations are a useful tool for creating a Legionella strategy going forward and can reveal areas in need of repair as well as tactics that are currently working well. This enables building owners to make informed decisions regarding their water treatment plan going forward so that everyone in the vicinity is safe from a Legionella outbreak.
Consult With Our Legionella Experts.
Whether you are preemptively engaging in Legionella risk assessment or you believe that Legionella has already infiltrated your system, working with a skilled expert is the best method of restoring health and safety to your water. The professionals at Tower Water would be happy to meet with you and examine your unique system in detail, offering guidance on the best next steps. Reach out to schedule an appointment to discuss your building’s needs and the most effective methods of keeping your water free of dangerous contaminants like Legionella.