How to Protect Your Building’s Water System from Legionnaire Disease

​Those looking to safeguard their building's water systems from Legionnaire disease may be interested in a May 4, 2016 article in Health Facilities Management, which discussed key sections of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' Standard 188, "Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems." An estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people a year are hospitalized for Legionnaire disease and 10% of these cases are fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conditions favorable for Legionella growth include stagnant water, water temperatures between 77°F and 108°F, presence of sediment and biofilms, as well as the presence of other bacteria and protozoan hosts. In most instances, the author said, transmission to humans occurs when contaminated water is breathed in as droplets.