Older and immunocompromised people are generally more prone to contracting legionella, which is why it is crucial for retirement facilities to have clean and safe water systems. At Tower Water, we work to lower the risk of legionella accumulating in water systems in New York City, especially those that utilize a cooling tower. Our team offers several legionella compliance and remediation services for retirement facilities to ensure there are no harmful bacteria present in the water, abide by the City and State of New York legislation, and ultimately prevent Legionnaires’ disease from developing among residents and staff.
Obtaining Compliance In Retirement Facilities
As defined by the CDC guidelines for legionella and healthcare facilities, retirement facilities are recognized under the legislation as residential properties — therefore, they do not qualify under the same regulations. However, there are several compliance laws for potable (drinking) water under the New York City and State Departments of Health that must be followed. These laws include the following requirements for water systems:
- Environmental assessments and reports
- Full analysis for the first year of system operation
- Proper response times and actions for harmful bacteria
- Protocols whenever construction or repairs take place
While legionella testing is among the requirements, it is critical that you are aware of whether legionella is present in your system. If your water system utilizes a cooling tower, it must be tested for legionella every 90 days, according to Local Law 77 of 2015. The organization that tests for legionella and handles inspections should be independent of the water treatment vendor for the cooling tower and associated water systems.
Ensuring The Safety Of Residents And Staff
Despite a lack of legislation surrounding retirement facilities and legionella compliance, several reports of legionella outbreaks continue to arise in New York City. Since individuals over 50 are significantly more prone to Legionnaires’ disease than others, it is important to follow the recommendations posted by the CDC and other government organizations. At Tower Water, we offer comprehensive legionella risk assessment and management programs for retirement facilities to reduce the likelihood of legionella growth and accumulation in water systems. We also work to ensure the following:
- Has properly protected HVAC equipment to improve efficiency and extend equipment life through dictation of proper treatment levels
- Monitor proper bacteria and legionella levels that meet and/or exceed local and state legionella laws
- Has short term and long term plans in place to protect facility infrastructure
- Has a significant reduction and/or removal of violations related to legionella compliance
- Promotes safe Legionella levels that meet and/or exceed local and state guidelines
Contact Tower Water Today
If you own or maintain a retirement facility and are in need of a legionella compliance organization, we are happy to help. At Tower Water, we have several years of knowledge and certified experience conducting tests and assisting in ensuring that water treatment levels are suitable for the prevention of legionella growth. In addition, our team is dedicated to keeping retirement facility residents and staff safe and will direct all of our resources and attention toward lowering the chance of Legionnaires’ disease. For more information about legionella compliance for retirement facilities or to get started, give us a call at (212) 729-9361 or schedule a consultation online today.