How Legionella Bacteria Can Thrive In Stagnant Water Systems?

There are several opportunistic pathogens lurking in nature, waiting for a chance to multiply and compromise human health. One such waterborne pathogen is a bacterium called Legionella. It is responsible for ailments like Pontiac fever and Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia that can be fatal). The bacteria Legionella is found in freshwater systems like streams and lakes in its natural form. Here it does not pose a threat due to its low concentration. Nevertheless, when Legionella enters into the water systems of a building, the threat increases.

Legionella bacteria rapidly grow or multiply in water whose temperature is between 20°C to 45°C. The water should also have nutrients for the bacteria to thrive. Below 20°C and above 60°C, the Legionella bacteria become dormant.

The presence of Legionella becomes a problem in building water systems because they provide just the right setting for the bacteria to grow. 

Nature has its unique way of ensuring the concentration of bacteria does not grow. It achieves this seemingly difficult task by keeping the water flowing. Additionally, the UV rays of the sun also destroy some of them. The same cannot be said of manufactured or artificial water systems.

In artificial water systems, especially the hot and cold water towers of a building, there can be stagnant water in the plumbing. This standing water increases the risk of Legionella’s growth and spread along with that of other biofilm-associated bacteria.

When the water system of any building has been shut for a long time, the owners need to be doubly cautious. During all this time, the water would have been standing in the water towers and the plumbing. This would have given the bacteria a golden chance to increase in numbers.

There are several internal and external factors that can introduce the Legionella bacteria into the water systems. These include:

It is possible to minimize the risk of Legionella contamination in the water system of any facility or structure. The procedures we discuss now should be stringently followed in all buildings before reopening and even afterward. These methods of risk control are highly effective and will prevent Legionella growth.

1. Storage And Distribution Of Water

2. Routine Inspections

3. Prevent Water Stagnation

4. Design Modifications

5. Employ Decontamination Measures

These procedures are more effective if deployed with proper maintenance and monitoring regimes.

Legionella can grow in any part of the facility’s water system which is wet. Therefore, it can grow anywhere in the plumbing, unseen and unheard, like:

As mentioned in the beginning, Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia that can be fatal. People contract the disease when they:

Some groups of people are more susceptible to contracting the Legionnaires’ disease. Usually, these are the people who have a compromised immune system. Aged, smokers, and people with chronic diseases fall in this category.

Stagnant water can promote the growth of many pathogens. Mentioning Legionella does not mean it is the only one you need to worry about. There are other germs as well that lurk in standing water, like nontuberculous mycobacteria and Pseudomonas, just to name a few. So the threat comes from several sources, not just one. The good thing is that having proper and strict water maintenance procedures will help contain all the waterborne threats. So treating one will limit others as well.

Stagnant water allows Legionella to spread its colonies in the plumbing and water storage tanks. Stagnation, aging water, and microbial biofilms speed up the decay of residual disinfectants and wanes water quality. Achieving long-term water disinfection is possible by ensuring the continuous circulation of chemically and thermally treated water. It is the most viable solution that helps prevent Legionella outbreaks.

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