A blog written by Franke Water Systems
Legionella bacteria are responsible for several diseases which are collectively known as legionellosis - including Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever. The most serious is Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia that has the potential to be fatal. People catch legionellosis disease by breathing in small droplets of water – sometimes referred to as aerosols - which contain the bacteria.
The risk of contracting a legionella infection from natural water environments is small. The majority of cases arise via contact through man-made water systems, and several factors can be involved including water temperature, infrequently used systems, deposits in water systems and more.
There are a number of ways that an existing water system can be improved and made less likely to develop legionella or other bacterial contamination including:
- Prevent water from stagnating
- Use appropriate materials
- Keep the system’s water clean
- Record risk assessments, maintenance, and repair work
- Water temperature control
- Physical measures – such as regular movement of water in hot and cold water systems, and flushing of outlets and point-of-use (POU) filters
- Biocide treatments
Solutions ensuring the risk of legionella is prevented or effectively controlled are centred on three important areas:
No one treatment regime can fully ensure effective control in every case. No two systems are the same, and factors such as age, design, size, and water chemistry will dictate the best mix of measures for a given installation. While there are many options available to address the threats posed by water-borne pathogens, currently the most commonplace method of control is by maintaining appropriate water temperature.
DVS’ Inform real-time temperature monitoring is one such solution. It offers a digital way to maintain constant oversight of water system assets, by feeding accurate data 24-7 to a secure cloud-based platform. Inform provides reports, alerts, and data through an intuitive dashboard, which can be accessed on a PC, mobile phone, or tablet.
To find out more about our Inform water temperature monitoring system, visit https://dartvalley.co.uk/inform or https://www.franke.com/gb/en/ws/expertise/product-news/inform-water-temperature-monitoring.html