New Legionella and its prevention information booklet from Alfa Laval

(29/11/2006)

Legionnaire’s Disease is a dreaded bacterial infection nowadays caused primarily by the shortcomings of modern technology. The bacteria causing this potentially lethal infection – Legionella – thrive in warm, stagnant water. Tap water systems of large buildings – e.g. hospitals, apartment blocks, hotels, nursing homes, gyms, pools, schools and other public buildings account for a majority of the cases reported in recent years.

When offered favorable conditions to multiply, the bacteria will grow fast. Stagnant water within the temperature range 20-50° C offers excellent conditions for growth. In complex and comprehensive tap water systems, there is often a risk for conditions like these being established – e.g. due to periods of low water consumption or “dead legs” in the piping system.

With the water stagnant and the temperature optimal, a plaque of organic material will gradually cover the surfaces of the aquatic environment, thus offering nutrition for the bacteria and very favorable conditions to multiply.

The risks are obvious in any tap water system that is extensive and complex enough, or in any system where the tap water consumption is periodically low.

Alfa Laval has produced an information booklet entitled “Legionella and its prevention” which is free to qualified users in the heating and ventilation industries.

In its 8 pages the A4 booklet sets out how and where the Legionella bacterium originates and thrives, some of the conventional systems designed to combat it and the patented new system Alfa Laval has developed to deal with the problem and prevent Legionella from developing.

This booklet contains some basic facts on Legionella. It describes the life cycle of the organism, the conditions for their growth and the factors enhancing the risk. It also describes some efficient preventive measures and presents AquaProtect – a patent pending heat exchanger system developed especially for thermal disinfection of tap water.

The booklet is available in both hard copy form from Alfa Laval.

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