How is Legionnaires’ disease contracted?
Warm, stagnant water, conditions found in hot tubs or cooling towers, provides ideal conditions for Legionella growth. Legionnaires’ is typically contracted through inhaling small droplets of water (aerosols), suspended in the air, containing the bacteria. Human-made systems that typically spread the disease include:
Read more about the symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease.
Who Is At Risk?
Most healthy people are at low risk for contracting Legionnaires’ disease, but the probability of infection increases in the elderly – particularly for men. People with increased risk include:
What Can You Do?
As a homeowner, building manager or owner, you play a crucial role in controlling Legionella growth through routine system maintenance, from maintaining a minimal disinfectant residual, to flushing and cleaning of deposits, and ensuring that hot water stays hot and cold water stays cold. Learn more about what you can do to maintain the quality of water in your building:
More information on Legionella bacteria can be found on the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control websites.
Source: Customer Messaging on Opportunistic Pathogens in Plumbing Systems by the Water Research Foundation