Comments on: Tackling Legionnaires’ disease using FOI

By: John Turner

John Turner — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:36:30 +0000

I would also appreciate refs of the papers refered to in your report. I am involved in the design of large water
systems around the world. Recently I discussed two projects a £600M PFI Hospital and University that only had trace
heating as its main source of treatment, words fail me, but it cheaper than having secondary circulation I was
reliably informed by the contractor. On projects in the Middle East water frequently cold water enters the
buildings at 35-45 deg C. in such circumstances temp control goes through the window.

By: Janet Albano

Janet Albano — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:08:48 +0000

I would be grateful if you could forward refs of the scientific papers mentioned in this report.

By: Ian Bateman

Ian Bateman — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:01:31 +0000

As someone who regularly discusses this matter with engineers working on hospital sites I would like to ask Duncan Brown how many of his sites reach the prescribed temperature at EVERY outlet within the required time. I have yet to visit one hospital site that can make that claim and if they cannot make that claim then temperature is not an effective method of control.

The original document that was issued for consultation by NHS Estates included silver/copper ionisation as equal to ionisation (and chlorine dioxide) and did not state temperature as a preferred method but clearly someone changed their mind between consultation and issue of the final document. This is a shame because ionisation is at least equal to and in many cases more effective than temperature and a lot less costly or harmful to the environment and because of this short sighted attitude the public are being put at an increased risk.

By: Duncan Brown

Duncan Brown — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:11:59 +0000

As someone who has been supporting corporate uk customers achieve legionella management
control in the water services of their office premises for 18 years (150+clients over 1000
buildings in uk)It is our experience at ems that temperature control is an effective means
of preventing contamination entering domestic water services turning into colonation of
such services.

Ionisation or chemical treatment can help where older building services have been heavily
colonised but so can “trace heating” for domestic hot water systems.

The key problems we see occur where the customer believes they can “engineer out the problem”
so although ionisation may be part of the strategy on occasion, the most effective means is
still temperature control with active monitoring to identify when potential conditions occur that
could have led to colonisation. So I agree with the guidance that the preferred means should
be temperature control.