Legionella Water Testing Requirements

Developing and maintaining a water management program is a multi step process that requires continuous review.

Legionella water testing requirements.

Legionella risk assessment legal requirements explained there is a legal obligation to carry out a legionella risk assessment of the water services in any work place or business connected premise. Centers for medicare medicaid services. Legionella can adversely impact public health. Healthcare specific guidelines and requirements.

When inhaled small water droplets or mist that contains legionella can cause infection in people which can result in two. The following resources may be useful when trying to understand what the. Requirement to reduce legionella risk in healthcare facility water systems to prevent cases and outbreaks of legionnaires disease pdf icon 4 pages external icon. Who can be appointed to test or monitor legionella.

Legionella is a bacteria that is found naturally in freshwater sources. What is a water management program. There are sources of nutrients such as rust sludge scale organic matter and biofilms. Ashrae 188 says that members of the water management team can consider whether testing should be performed and if performed that the team should determine the frequency of locations for and plans for the response to results of testing.

Water management sampling. By monitoring these parameters the team can ensure that building water systems are operating in a way to minimize hazardous conditions that could encourage legionella and other waterborne pathogens to grow. Legionella bacteria can be found throughout the world mostly in aquatic and moist environments e g lakes rivers ground water and soil. Water is stored or re circulated as part of your system.

The type of test required will depend on the nature of the water of the system. The water temperature in all or some parts of the system is between 20 45 c. Down load our legionella legal obligations information document for more information. Identify whether they are likely to create a risk from exposure to legionella and whether.

Testing of water quality may be carried out by a service provider such as a water treatment company or consultant or by the operator provided they are trained to do so and are properly supervised. The water management program team should regularly monitor water quality parameters such as disinfectant and temperature levels. Cdc estimates that 8 000 to 18 000 people are hospitalized with legionnaires disease each year in the u s. Centers for disease control and prevention.

In june 2017 the centers for medicare medicaid services cms released a survey and certification memo pdf icon 4 pages external icon stating that healthcare facilities should develop and adhere to ashrae compliant water management programs to reduce the risk for legionella and other pathogens in their water systems. If a program team decides to test for legionella in their water systems the standard does not make recommendations regarding.