Connection between Cooling Tower and Legionella and How to Control it

Naturally occurring bacteria that is found in water and soil, Legionella is harmless when it is present in small concentrations. However, when they are allowed to colonise freely and thrive in their surroundings, Legionella can become an extreme health risk. The ideal temperatures for the bacteria to colonise are in the range of 35 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius. This is further accelerated if there is any presence of organic matter, such as algae, for it to feed on. Should the Legionella bacteria ever colonise in the respiratory tract of a human being, it can cause Legionnaires’ disease. Legionnaires’ disease, also called Legionellosis is an acute form of pneumonia, which can, in many cases, result in death. Typically, the disease is contracted due to breathing in water aerosols that are contaminated with the bacteria. It can also be contracted when water containing the bacteria is breathed into the lungs because of choking while swallowing, ingesting or drinking.

When a person gets infected, they show the usual symptoms of the flu. These include minor symptoms such as muscle aches and headaches. Within no time, they will move on to more serious symptoms such as chills, diarrhoea, high fever, nausea and vomiting. They will also experience difficulty in breathing, dry coughs and a pain in the chest. Studies show that the drug has a mortality rate of about 30%. Those who are over the age of 50 and have chronic respiratory issues, lung disease, or are heavy smokers and drinker, are at risk, in particular. Moreover, people who have diabetes or weak immune systems, in general, are also at risk.

Cooling Towers and the Legionnaires’ Disease: What’s the connection?

Research has shown that cooling towers, due to the warm water, form perfect breeding grounds for this bacterium to thrive and colonise. They are often investigated and found to be the main source of outbreaks of the Legionnaires’ disease. These outbreaks are always expected, especially during the warmer months. This is because it creates the ideal conditions in the warm water systems. Improved methods of detection have made it easier to spot the increase in the outbreaks; however, it does nothing to stop the infections. It is extremely important to maintain the water systems of a facility and keep them healthy in order to lower the risk of an outbreak. There are several new measures that need to be followed as well, but it is confusing to understand the new laws for an owner, an engineer or a facility manager. One can get complete assistance by approaching cooling tower legionella services for help.

Controlling the Outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease

HydroChem is the leader in commercial and industrial water treatment in Australia since 1977. They are experts at the requirements of both the national and state governments and are aware of how the new laws affect managers and owners. The company has set up a website on Legionella Guidelines that one should follow to make sure that they are complying with the laws. It is known to provide the best cooling tower legionella services across Australia due to their experience and expert knowledge.

New Efforts to Control the Outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease through Regulations in NSW

Due to the increasing number of Legionnaires Disease outbreak, the NSW government has strengthened its regulations. There were two separate outbreaks in 2016, one in March and the other in May that resulted in 13 people being infected with one person being dead. This high number of health cases made the Sydney health legionella to take action by introducing a new regulatory framework. This would help to manage the risks of Legionella connected to cooling towers.

Change in the regulations

Before this, cooling tower owners had to notify authorities in the local council about their cooling towers. But, there was no legislation to govern the reportage. They were required to keep the registration up to date regarding maintenance and ownership. In the new regulations, the owners are required to register their cooling towers with the local authority. They also have to do monthly testing and reporting of high bacteria levels in the water system. Each of them also had to develop the Risk management Plan for all their cooling towers. Many of the owners hire a seasoned cooling tower maintenance service provider like HydroChem to do the needful for them. HydroChem is a leading water treatment service provider and has set up a website on Legionella Regulations to keep everyone informed of the latest updates.

New Legionella Control Regulations

Here are the Sydney health legionella Control regulations introduced since the beginning of 2018. The first of these was introduced in January. It is about the sampling and testing on a monthly basis for Legionella. A heterotrophic colony count is also done. The Local Council must be notified of the reportable table results.

Control strategy revisions

On August 10, 2018, there is the Approved Form 3, a new monthly summary report. In this, we have new control strategies for detecting Legionella along with results showing high HCC. If you have a newly installed system, then this risk assessment is needed before you begin operations. If an Environmental Health Officer makes a request, then, within 4 hours, you have to provide 5 years history of operational and maintenance documentation. Also, you should have done your registration with local government authority.

If the local Council give 30 days’ notice, you must display your unique identification number on your cooling tower. This must be done within 30 days of the issue of the number. And before November 2018, you have to provide the risk management plans for all high-risk locations. You will get intimation from the government whether you are high, low, or medium risk.

Submit Risk Management Plan

As per Legionella Regulations, by July 1, 2019, you had to submit a Risk Management Plan for low and medium risk locations. The local government authority must get the RMP certificate of completion within 7 days after doing a risk assessment. You will get intimation from the government whether you are high, low, or medium risk. From September 2019 onwards, the audit period remains 12 months from the date of your first RMP. You will be posted on more developments once the audits are collected.

Use the services of a good, experienced cooling tower maintenance operator like HydroChem to take care of the health of your cooling tower. This will ensure the health of the tower and upkeep of health standards.

Legionnaires’ disease: Causes and Prevention

Legionnaires’ is a disease which is severe in form, often lethal and a type of pneumonia. It is caused by the bacteria Legionella Pneumophilia, found in both soil and water. The disease is caused by either drinking water containing the bacteria or when the contaminated water particles are inhaled into the lungs while choking during drinking, swallowing or ingestion.

How It Spreads

After legionella grows and multiplies in a very building water system, water containing bacteria then spread in droplets sufficiently little for individuals to take a breath. People will get Legionnaires’ illness after they inhale tiny droplets of water within the air that contain the microorganism. Fortunately, through services such as Legionella Regulations as laid down by NSW Health, you can avoid such mishaps.

Less ordinarily, individuals will get sick by drinking water containing bacteria. This happens when water accidentally goes into the lungs while drinking. People at exaggerated risk include those with swallowing difficulties.

Healthy individuals exposed to bacteria don’t get sick. People at increased risk of getting sick are:

• People 50 years or older
• Current or former smokers
• People with chronic lung disease (like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or emphysema)
• People with weak immune systems or who take drugs that weaken the immune system (like after a transplant operation or chemotherapy)
• People with cancer
• People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver failure.

How to prevent Legionnaires’

There are not any vaccines which will stop Legionnaires’ illness. Instead, the key to preventing Legionnaires’ illness is to make certain that building owners and managers maintain building water systems so as to cut back the danger of bacteria growth and spread.

Since the microorganism survives in warm contaminated water, the temperature of water in the system should be below 20ºC (68ºF) or above 60ºC (140ºF). Since bacteria prefers water that’s contaminated with rust, algae, sludge, amoebae, slime, biofilm, lime scale, corrosion product or different organic matter and different microorganism, keeping it clean helps. There should be no stagnation of water as the bacteria thrive in water that’s stagnant for long.

Legionnaires’ prevention in water cooling systems

Water cooling systems have many aspects that are regulated by bacteria infection prevention pointers. These include authorisation, operating, maintaining, improvement and regular procedures.

There have to be regular inspections for microorganism growth, leaks, algae, blockages or stagnations and splashing. The design of the systems should be such so they will be cleansed frequently.

Exhaust should be discharged far from wherever it may be exposed to the general public.
Water in all the systems should be speedily moving and chemicals should be added, when needed, to limit the build-up of scaling, microbial growth, etc.

Legionnaires’ prevention in air conditioning systems

Air conditioning systems equally need to be economical in coming up with, commissioning, operating, maintaining and cleaning.

The air filters should not accumulate moisture and there should be provision for regular maintenance. Heat exchange coils should have corrosion-resistant components to prevent clogging and contamination.

The outbreaks of legionella are always expected, specifically in the warmer months, which facilitate the brooding and colonization of the Legionella bacteria. But the maintenance and health of the water systems is the surest way to reduce the brooding of these lethal bacteria. For more information, one can check out the NSW Health Legionella Guidelines, a website set up by HydroChem, Australia’s leading industrial and commercial wastewater treatment company.

Safety Measures Your NSW Water Cooling Facility Must Have Before EHO Inspection

What is legionella and how does it impact us?

Within most cooling towers, the water is heated through heat exchange, which is the ideal breeding ground for the heat-loving legionella bacteria to grow and thrive. One can acquire Legionnaire’s disease if one accidentally breathes in droplets of air containing these legionella bacteria.

Along with health risks, environmental and economic risks are inevitable once a legionella outbreak breaks into the city. This is why legionella prevention must be followed by proper operation, installation and maintenance of the cooling towers and through NSW’s legionella compliance with certain rules and guidelines.

There are three areas speculated by water specialists to check if legionella could be a potential threat to your city:

• Do the bacteria exist in any of the water cooler towers in the city? Do they test positive for legionella?
• Is it thriving there? Is the current water treatment program administered, designed or non-existent?
• Can the potentially infected water by aerosolized?

For this purpose, HydroChem has set up Legionella Regulations, specialized and extensive management of Legionella in NSW. In compliance with the public health regulations law regarding Legionella Prevention and Control in NSW, the company is dedicated in ensuring the proper adherence and functioning of these laws through their Risk Management Plans (RMP).

Established in 1997, HydroChem is the leader in industrial and commercial water treatment across Australia with offices in every state and 24/7 service.

In regards to the recent alterations in cooling tower regulations across NSW, all cooling tower facilities will be visited by consultants and environmental health officers (EHO) for inspections to ensure that the owners of the respective facilities are complying with the government laws and regulations.

This requires all cooling towers to be armed with a Risk Management Plan at the earliest for each of their cooling towers.

In order to develop a solid risk management plan, the necessary guidelines are to be kept in mind before choosing a RMP consultant:

Choose a cooperative and coordinating RMP consultant:

It is very important to choose a water management provider and consultant that assist you in developing a RMP that will be suitable for your facility and adhere to your budget and time limit. Your company will be audited based on the implementations suggested by your consultant, and failure to do so may result in a dire consequences. Hence, select a reliable and trustworthy RMP consultant, who has vast knowledge and experience.

Minimise the main risks of legionella:

A few ways to drastically reduce the risks of legionella are by

1. Checking the cooling tower components
2. Introducing dosing controls to improve water quality and health
3. Minimizing transmission of water droplets to people through

• Minimizing the drift
• Reducing the number of people in close range of the cooling tower.

Prepare your facility for the Inspection:

By complying with the rules and regulations, clean the surrounding areas of the cooling tower as well as the rest of the facility before inspection. There must be safe access to the cooling tower location and everything, from walkways and handrails to valves must be in proper working condition. Make sure you have all your paperwork ready for investigation. It is best if you get a digital paperwork stored, in case some old files go missing. EHOs and consultants will pore through your paperwork and any missing report may result in a failed audit.

Nature and Control of Legionnaires Disease

Legionella is a type of naturally present bacteria found in soil and water. It is harmless in small concentrations. But when it thrives and colonises, it becomes a severe health risk.

The colonisation of these bacteria occurs in temperatures between 35 to 46% degree C, in the presence of organic matter like algae. Legionnaire’s disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by colonisation of the respiratory tract with Legionella bacteria.

The bacteria is contracted either through inhalation of water aerosols containing the bacteria or through aspiration (when water particles that are contaminated are inhaled into the lungs while choking due to swallowing, ingesting or drinking). Legionnaires prevention is based on such facts. It is good to use the services of cooling tower specialists like Legionella Regulations.

The most common symptoms of the disease begin to appear between two and 10 days after exposure to the bacteria. In rare cases, symptoms may not appear for 14 days.

A person infected initially displays flu-like symptoms like muscle pain, tiredness and headache leading to severe conditions like chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, dry cough, diarrhoea, difficulty in breathing and chest pain. This disease has a mortality rate of 30%.

Pontiac fever, the milder form of the disease, appears more like a typical case of flu where patients suffer from muscle aches and fever. Usually, it resolves on its own, within a few days.

Legionnaire’s disease is a highly infectious condition. The bacteria causing this disease is found throughout the world in air-conditioning units, plumbing systems, water fountains, hot tubs and mostly, cooling towers. The bacteria become airborne via a fine mist which is inhaled and cause the infection. Rarely, there are cases of patients aspirating infected water and becoming infected.

The bacteria grow most prolifically in warm water like in case of a hot tub. Because of warm temperatures, it is tough to keep chlorine levels strong enough to work against such potentially dangerous germs. Legionnaires prevention is done by monitoring cooling towers before any outbreak, and it can be done with the help of cooling tower specialists like Legionella Regulations.

Recently, a cause for worry has emerged where windshield wipers of cars have been found to be contaminated with this bacterium. It is guessed that the heat of the engine helps this bacterium to survive.

Outbreaks of this disease are common in cooling tower systems. They may also occur in hotels and resorts, hospitals, cruise ships etc. The following populations are at a heightened risk for the disease:

• Being over 50 years of age
• Former or current smokers
• Those with diseases like kidney failure, liver failure and diabetes.
• Persons suffering from cancer and those being treated with radiotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation.
• Persons with chronic lung disease like emphysema or obstructive pulmonary disease
• Persons with a weakened immune system
• Persons who have had an organ transplant

Conventional Treatment

Before the start of treatment, it is necessary to have a confirmed diagnosis. It is likely that the patient will be referred to an infectious disease specialist who will consult results from sputum samples, urine test and chest X-ray. In the initial appointment, ensure that the medical team is made aware if in the last two weeks, the patient has been hospitalised, been on a cruise, stayed in a hotel or used a hot tub.

The disease can be treated easily with antibiotics. It is usually done on an in-patient basis, where antibiotics can be administered intravenously and the patient can be monitored closely. The medical team will be watching for signs indicating a worsening of infection and for indicating that organ failure is likely to follow. Once stabilized, the patient is advised oral antibiotics.

New NSW Stipulations for Legionella Control and Prevention

Legionella is a bacterium found existing naturally in water and soil. When it colonises in high concentration, it poses a health risk.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by such bacteria, infecting the respiratory tract. It has a mortality risk of 30%.

Cooling towers serve as an ideal breeding ground for these bacteria to colonise and are thus, investigated first for Legionella outbreaks.

The govt. of NSW through its Legionella Task Force has changed laws as per operation, testing and maintenance of cooling towers throughout the state. The 2018 regulations have strengthened measures to protect the public from the risk of Legionella outbreaks. The govt. is much concerned about Legionella prevention and control.

Changed measures are as follows:

RMPs-

Cooling towers must each now have a Risk Management Plan (RMP), developed every year for high-risk systems and once in 5 years for medium and low-risk systems. Legionella Regulations is a company which will help with RMP.

The RMP is a vital safeguard to prevent Legionella outbreaks and to document best practices for controlling the growth of the bacteria while considering risks unique to the cooling water systems.

RMP must be completed by a competent person.

• Can provide safe and satisfactory performance.
• Has adequate training
• Has practical experience

RMP assessment involves:

• Interviews with concerned personnel.
• Site visits to cooling tower and inspection.
• Review of current documents like monthly reports of inspection and chemical analysis etc.

RMP components are:

• Risk analysis of total growth of Legionella and transmission in the cooling tower.
• Residual risk determines the frequency of RMP: every 1 year (high risk), every 5 years (low and medium risk).

Risk evaluation

Risk evaluation is submitted. Risk levels of low, medium and high are assigned on the basis of 5 risk categories:

• Nutrient availability and growth
• Stagnant water
• Poor quality of water
• Location and access to the cooling tower
• Problems in the cooling water system

Maintenance plan

A plan is developed to earmark the frequency of various maintenance activities linked to the cooling water system. The regulations need a minimum frequency of:

• Monthly inspections
• Maintenance including servicing on a monthly basis
• Microbial testing every month
• Monthly chemical analysis (such as corrosion monitoring)
• Six monthly cleaning

Action Plan

The competent person must develop an action plan for control of identified risks within a suitable time frame. Compliance with stipulations of the action plan will be reviewed every year by an auditor.

Certificate of RMP completion

It must be provided to the local authority, within seven days of completion.

Audits

Every year, an independent audit of the RMP must be completed.

Documentation

Five years of documentation must be available within 4 hours of a request by an authorised officer.

Monthly Form 3

On a monthly basis, a duly qualified person must complete an Approved Form 3 template summarizing monthly results and a mini-assessment of risks.

UIDs

Every cooling tower must have its own UID (Unique Identification Number), displayed clearly on the tower.

Registration

Every cooling tower must be registered with the local authority.

Testing

All cooling towers in NSW must be subject to monthly lab testing for Legionella and HCC (Heterotrophic Colony Count). Legionella Regulations helps in such maintenance of cooling towers.

Reporting

High levels of Legionella and HCC must be reported to the authorities.

These are all aspects of new regulations for Legionella prevention and control in NSW. They are essential for maintaining the health of the public.

Legionnaire’s is a Big Health Risk – Legionella Services Can Help Your Business Mitigate It

Legionnaire’s disease is caused by a bacterium called Legionella. It was in the year 1976 that Legionella got discovered immediately after an outbreak took place. Legionella is a disease in which the sufferer gets severe pneumonia which brings a lot of suffering to the victim.

Ever since its discovery in the year 1976, it has been a matter of concern for many. A lot of people suffer from this disease every year, and the disease is so deadly that some reports claim that one out of every 10 people suffering from it has to embrace death.

The problem is so grave that a lot of companies have come out with Legionella services and Legionella Guidelines to help businesses. If you want more details on this subject, you can check out HydroChem’s Legionella Guidelines, who has been the leader in water management in Australia since 1977.

Now, let’s see how a person gets infected by this bacterium-

Legionella is mostly found in freshwater bodies like streams and lakes and also in soil. In freshwater sources, they don’t get the opportunity to overbreed and become a problem, as there are bacteria eaters and UV light in such water bodies that check their growth. Legionella becomes a matter of concern when it grows and overgrows in a water system created by men. In such systems, they get the right environment to make colonies. Since they need a wet and warm environment to grow, they often grow in cooling towers. And since most of such water systems are not in direct contact with UV rays, these bacteria multiply unabated.

Aerosolization is a process in which water gets broken down into tiny droplets that are microscopic in nature. When water contaminated with Legionella bacteria undergoes aerosolization, it poses bigger health risks. Why? Because then these droplets become inhalable. When human beings come in contact with infected aerosols, their lungs get infected, and they become sick.

Some of the common places where Legionella growth has been witnessed are cooling towers, decorative fountains, hot tubs and potable water systems. Symptoms begin to show after around 10 days of the bacteria’s entry into the system of the victim.

How dangerous is legionnaire’s disease?

Although this disease is an extremely dangerous one, it is very much treatable. Doctors treat it by putting the patient on antibiotics. If you are suffering from this disease, you might need to stay in the hospital but it is almost certain that you will make a full recovery. If proper care is not provided to the sufferer, complexities including death could occur.

Since this disease is hazardous, more and more industries with man made water systems are opting for Legionella services. If, however, you don’t know much about things linked to Legionella, you could go through Legionella Guidelines available over the internet. A trusted source could be Legionella Guidelines set up by HydroChem. This company with its website could help you immensely in this respect. All you need is to check them out!

New Guidelines for Legionnaires Disease Risk Assessment

In 2018, the NSW Government changed the cooling tower regulations because of the outbreak of a number of Legionnaires disease cases due to the cooling towers in the previous few years. The new regulations follow the Risk Management approach.

The Risk Management approach has adopted the philosophy of prevention being better than cure. When your cooling towers have been found to breach compliance, it is much more difficult to get them back up to code and restore your operations to run at safe levels. The Risk Management approach ensures that your water systems do not cause contamination, risks and outbreaks compromising public safety through legionnaires disease risk assessment.

Why is it the best approach?

By developing a Risk Management Plan (RMP) for every cooling tower makes minimum the risks of outbreaks of Legionnaires disease. It will alert you to problems possible in your towers in the future and the reparations required to prevent them such that operating costs of your tower are kept down.

Developing RMP

• Follow NSW health guidelines for legionnaires disease risk assessment:

Create your RMP as per NSW guidelines and use the approved and mandatory templates, which address all key points that will reduce the burden of managing your cooling towers.

• A competent person to conduct risk assessment:

You must conduct risk assessment of all cooling towers every five years by a competent person. The recent amendments to the guidelines now define a ‘competent person’ as someone who ‘has had suitable training or experience (or both) in the pertinent subject, who is sufficient to offer safe and satisfactory performance.

A Yearly audit of Risk Assessment

Every 12 months, an independent auditor will review the compliance with the regulations. The audit must be carried out by a person approved by the Secretary and who is not:

• The individual who conducted the risk assessment.
• The occupier.
• A qualified person who set up the water cooling system in the last 5 years.
• A duly qualified person who maintains or operates the water cooling system in the last 5 years.
• A person, who operates the lab which carried out monthly testing of water cooling system in the last 5 years.

Selecting the right provider

It is a fact that RMP is created and audited by industry professionals, who evaluate improvements in the prevention of risk to public health. From a strictly managerial point, in case of water treatment industry, the additional burden of compliance may be tough for some water treatment providers to implement.

EHOs (Environment Health Officers) will, without doubt, focus on discouraging non-compliance. The bulk of their focus will be in investigating:

• Missing paperwork
• Failed audits
• Very high results of water tests

EHOs and consultants follow similar patterns. If there is a specific contractor or provider who has been found to be corrupt on one site, he will be investigated on other sites. Thus, if you choose the wrong provider of water treatment, it can hence cause your cooling towers and facilities to come under unnecessary scrutiny. The company Legionella Regulations is a great source.

Digital reporting

Choose a provider who has a digital reporting system and can provide access via a portal to five years of reporting, right at your fingertips, avoiding the big risk of non-compliance.

Consult Legionella Regulations for its risk management service delivery model, which provide multiple levels of assurance. This includes the element of clarity, which collects the digital information linked to the microbiological results, water chemistry, and corrosion results all in one portal.

When You Look for a Legionella Management Firm, Keep These Points in Mind

If you own an industrial setup where water is stored in huge tanks, then listen up! Your water could be at risk. What risk are we talking about? The risk of legionella contamination! Yes, standing warm water could become the breeding ground of this bacterium called legionella. But why are we so concerned about this microbe? Because it can cause a deadly disease called legionnaire’s disease. If you don’t want the employees of your industry to get sick, then getting your water treated for legionella is highly advisable. But before you hire a legionella management firm, keep the following points in kind-

• The first thing to be cautious about is the experience of the company. The problem of legionella is serious. The legionnaire’s disease can also be fatal in some cases. And that is why there is no reason why you should take it casually. Make sure the company you seek services from has a lot of experience in this field. An experienced company will be able to address the problem of legionella more professionally and responsibly. It will be able to tailor a solution according to the severity of your problem. In addition, it will be able to offer you valuable advice linked to what you should and should not do to keep future growth of legionella in check.
• Another important quality that you should look for is expertise. It’s not always possible to get an experienced company for your legionella problem, but you can always find a company that boasts of a great deal of expertise in the matter of legionella treatment. Just think a little deeper, what is more important- experience or expertise. Well, both are important. But you can do without the quality called experience, but you sure can’t do without the quality called expertise. An expert company will be able to do its job with near perfection, irrespective of how experienced it is. An expert company will also know the tricks of the trade. At least you can expect them to work with legionella compliance.
• Make sure you won’t have to spend a lot of money on getting the water treated. It is a wise idea to check the available options before zeroing in on one particular service provider. With some serious search, you will definitely be able to find a service provider that will be ready to dispense good service at agreeable rates.

By following the above tips, finding the right legionella management firm won’t be an uphill task, for sure!

What Is Legionnaires’ disease?

Legionnaires’ disease is the term used for a severe type of pneumonia that causes lung inflammation because of an infection by the bacteria Legionella. It does not spread from one person to the other. But, when the bacteria are inhaled, it could cause this disease. People who smoke, are old, or have weak immune systems are at a higher risk of developing this medical condition.

The bacteria result in Pontiac fever that shares symptoms similar to the flu. The Pontiac fever can recover by itself, but when Legionnaires’ disease is not treated, it could be life-threatening. Antibiotics do help in getting rid of this infection, but some individuals experience discomfort even after the treatment.

Symptoms

After being exposed to the bacteria, the individual may develop the condition in about two to 20 days. The symptoms associated with this condition include:

• Fever (mostly 104 degrees F or higher)
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Confusion and other mental changes
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, like diarrhoea, vomiting, and nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Cough

The infection occurs in the lung area, but it could also spread to other parts of the body, like the heart.
Risk Factors

• Everybody exposed to the bacteria doesn’t get sick. People who are at higher risk include individuals:
• Who Smoke – Smoking can significantly deteriorate the lungs, making it more susceptible to lung infections.
• Who have weak immune systems – It could result from certain medications or autoimmune diseases.
• Who have chronic lung diseases – They include emphysema or other severe medical conditions like cancer, kidney disease, or diabetes.
• Who are old – They include people above 50 years of age or older.

How to Prevent Legionnaires’ disease

Taking a few steps can help in reducing the risk of this infection. It could involve plumbing sittings, water-filled fixtures/appliances like air conditioners, spas, pools, bored, hot water tanks, etc. and installing and maintaining water pipes.

Hot Water Systems

They include hot water tanks, hot water taps, and shower roses. These hot water symptoms could cultivate the bacteria where the water remains at a temperature between 25 to 50 degrees C. Taking the following precautions could help in Legionella prevention and control.

Air Conditioners

Some of the steps to reduce the risk include:

• Regular maintenance
• Using fresh and clean water

Pools and Spas

It is essential to disinfect carefully, maintain, and clean the pumps, pipes, and jets as they can harbour bacterial growth. Using a low foaming detergent or mild bleach is highly recommended.

Legionnaires’ disease is a dangerous condition, and it is always better to prevent such an infection from occurring by taking necessary steps ahead in time.