Denver, Colorado, August 2, 2016 – According to a recent report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Legionnaires’ disease nearly quadrupled in the United States from 2000 to 2015, and most cases could have been prevented with water treatment solutions that prohibit legionella bacterial growth in water.
From 2000 through 2014, reported cases of legionellosis increased nearly fourfold, from .42 to 1.62 cases per 100,000 persons. The disease is contracted when a person breathes small droplets of water contaminated with the bacteria Legionella. In 2015 through this year, about 5,000 Americans were diagnosed, and more than 20 outbreaks were reported. About one in ten infected persons will die from the infection, and most cases require hospital care to make a full recovery.
Most facility owners and managers are familiar with ASHRAE 188-2015 which mandates that everyone with responsibility for centralized water systems-owners, corporate managers, operators and facility managers-must proactively reduce and prevent legionella growth.
One common source of Legionella bacteria is cooling towers. The CDC cited that cooling towers must be properly maintained, and they recently released a toolkit: Developing a Water Management Program to Reduce Legionella Growth and Spread in Buildings: A Practical Guide to Implementing Standards. The CDC’s toolkit is a good resource for launching a more proactive water management program.
RK Water is alerting facilities owners and managers that a sustainable non-chemical solution is available for Legionella reduction. Silver Bullet which uses biocide oxidizers, known as hydroxyl radicals, effectively kills bacteria and maintains it at low and safe levels—even more effectively than chlorine. Silver Bullet can be used as a stand-alone water treatment system, or can be added to an existing treatment program.
In a 2012 University of Pittsburgh study, Silver Bullet™ reduced free-floating legionella bacteria concentration by 78.1%. It also reduced free-floating Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) bacteria by 98.8% and immobile HPC bacteria by 85.9%. The HPC test measures microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and mold in drinking water.
Silver Bullet is quick to install and doesn’t require a large capital investment. The equipment is installed at a facility as an adjunct to its existing water system and the facility pays a monthly rental fee. There is no large equipment to purchase, and RK Water handles installation, service and maintenance.
Jeff Gucker, Vice President of RK Water, said, “Recent outbreaks of Legionnaire’s show how critical it is for facilities owners and managers to prevent legionella growth in cooling towers. Silver BulletTM is proven to reduce legionella, plus it’s safe, so it supports organizational sustainability goals.”
Source: RK Water