Ann asked, “Hi. I work in the food and beverage industry and our our most recent health inspector told us we need to have a way to test for 800ppm or greater free chlorine residual in our washing solutions. Do you carry anything for that? I saw the ones that go up to 120ppm but I need higher. Thanks.”

Well, Ann, we do actually carry a product for testing higher concentrations of free chlorine in water: Free Chlorine Check Ultra High Range II tests up to 2,000ppm free chlorine and does so in about a minute.

Below you will find the color chart for the :

Color Chart for Free Chlorine Check Ultra High Range II

As you can see, this high range free chlorine test strip product has a low detection level of 25ppm and a high detection level of 2,000ppm.

What’s the deal w/ the sanitizing & disinfection solution labels?

The manufacturer’s of this product, Industrial Test Systems, originally created this product to meet a need in North Carolina. Because of several unfortunate incidents where young children in daycare and childcare facilities came in contact with disinfecting and/or sanitizing solutions mixed way too strong, laws were enacted that required licensed daycare and childcare facilities in North Carolina to test the concentrations of their ‘bleach water’ on a daily basis.

Childcare and daycare facilities in North Carolina have authorization to use the Free Chlorine Check Ultra High Range II test strip product for the purpose of testing disinfecting and sanitizing solutions.

Note: Different states have different laws governing what constitutes a properly mixed sanitizing or disinfecting solution and different industries will also have different requirements. Check with your local health department or health inspector before deciding on the concentrations you will use!

Looking for the “The Childcare Kit – Part No: 480124-3K” ?

If so, then you already know it includes the following…

• (3) Bottles of 100 Tests… for a Total of 300 Tests
• (1) Tablespoon Measuring Tool
• (1) 1/4 Cup Measuring Tool
• (1) Sanitizer Preparation Method

… and you can purchase The Childcare Kit – Part No: 480124-3K in the Water Test Kit Store.

We did, however, take away a few valuable points we believe worthy of mentioning on our site:

• Many folks believed polyethylene piping would stand up to the rigors of continuous exposure to low levels of water-based disinfectants (i.e. chlorine, chloramines, peroxides, etc.) but now scientists realize that improperly balanced water quality parameters such as pH, alkalinity, hardness, etc. can aid in allowing those water-based disinfectants to prematurely degrade piping in our homes, offices, schools and pretty much anywhere it exists.
• Scientists and health officials really don’t know EVERYthing about the disinfectants commonly used to treat our water supplies but they (and we) firmly believe that NOT having them in our water supplies certainly cause a lot more problems than having them in our water could ever cause.

  Need an example? Just look at Haiti or any other Third World area that lacks properly sanitized drinking water. Waterborne diseases whose causes (bacteria, pathogens, etc.) would ordinarily get wiped out by the low levels of things like chlorine and chlorine dioxide spread like wildfires and kill thousands of people in no time. Have you already forgotten the cholera epidemic that happened, we believe, less than a year ago?

So… if we can’t use polyethylene for this reason, PVC because of the additives it can leach into water, metal because it costs too much can also leach unwanted contaminants into drinking water, what CAN or SHOULD we use?

Unfortunately no one seems to have an answer to that question just yet so we will all have to wait until science solves that mystery. In the meantime, Water Testing Blog will continue testing its water regularly using the tools available at the time to make sure the contaminants we do know about don’t sneak into our water supply somehow.

Chloramines? What are chloramines? Take a look at this earlier Water Testing Blog entry on Free Chlorine, Combined Chlorine and Total Chlorine and get a quick education on the topic!

Whether created as a byproduct of disinfection via free chlorine or the intended disinfectant in a water system, most people do NOT like the taste and odor of chloramines in their water.

Thankfully Pentek has come out with a product called the Pentek ChlorPlus 10 Chloramine Removal Water Filter Cartridge that fits in standard 10″ (x 2.5″) filter housings used in filter sytems produced by companies such as Pentek (obviously!), US Filter (recently acquired by Pentek!), Cuno, Filterite, Keystone, US Water, Water Resources, Harmsco, and many other popular brands of water filtration systems. If your system uses a standard 10″ x 2.5″ housing, the Pentek ChlorPlus 10 ought to fit just fine!

Having said that last bit, please check the dimensions of your current filter and/or housing before ordering this product!

Looking for a 10″ replacement filter with NSF Certification? The Pentek ChlorPlus 10 uses a component tested certified to NSF Standard 42.

What does the Pentek ChlorPlus 10 remove/reduce? Using 1 micron carbon block technology this product (255416-43) should seriously reduce chloramine concentrations in drinking water and in doing so remove the (offensive) taste and odor associated with chlorine while also helping to pull out unwanted sediment, if present.

One particular disinfection byproduct of, trihalomethanes (often abbreviated as THM’s or TTHM’s), has gained enough notoriety that companies like PUR have started certifying some of their products to NSF/ANSI Standards for the reduction of trihalomethanes in drinking water.

Below you will find a list of several PUR water filtration products that have tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 (Drinking Water Treatment Units – Health Effects) for the reduction of TTHM’s and other unwanted drinking water contaminants:

• PUR CR-6000 Filtered Water Pitcher
• PUR CR-6000C Filtered Water Pitcher with LED Light
• PUR Faucet Mount Filter 3-Stage – Flavor Options
• PUR Faucet Mount Filter 3-Stage Horizontal Chrome
• PUR Faucet Mount Filter System 3-Stage Chrome

• PUR Faucet Mount Filter System 2-Stage White

For those unfamiliar with how trihalomethanes get into drinking water, they get created when free chlorine molecules attack, neutralize and become entangled with a biological contaminant. That process chain of events converts free chlorine into combined chlorine and in the process disinfection byproducts get created.

What harm can trihalomethanes in drinking water cause?

Four different trihalomethanes can form as a result of chlorination: Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, and Bromoform. The United States Environmental Protection has found that excessive exposure to these compounds has resulted laboratory rats developing cancer.

While many scientists may disagree on the exactly how much exposure to each compound constitutes overexposure, we think it wise to keep tabs on your local water treatment system’s track record of trihalomethane level management (data available in annual reports) and if deemed necessary, install an NSF certified water treatment system capable of reducing trhalomethane levels.

Well, in this case, we would pity the person who could make this stuff up because the very idea of a guy putting his ‘man seed’ in another person’s drinking water — for fun — makes us gag.

Apparently for one man, who also had a voyeurism addiction, the idea of sharing himself with unsuspecting female counterparts made perfect sense — and for that he will spend the next 18 months in jail.

Sorry, folks, but we think that punishment does not fit the crime. He willingly endangered his victims using bodily fluids which, given his affinity for the unusual, could have contained a whole lot of unwanted bacteria, diseases, etc.

Even if the water he contaminated had the full, legally allowed amount of free chlorine residual in it, we cannot think of ANYone that would still voluntarily drink that water and feel safe doing it!

SINGAPORE – In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, a man who mixed his semen into the drinking water used by his colleagues was jailed for 18 months yesterday.

Sim Keng Tee, 35, a former civilian officer at the Singapore Police Force, admitted that he committed the offences between Feb 21 and April 3, 2008.

Two women who used to work with him drank the tainted water without their knowledge.

Sim recorded them doing so with his mobile phone camera. The medium-built, bespectacled man then saved the clips onto his computer at home.

These acts of mischief only came to light after another female colleague caught him recording an underskirt video of her at their workplace on Sept 10 last year. She lodged a police report and the authorities raided his Farrer Road flat soon afterwards.

Officers seized items including hard disks and thumb drives from his home.

Following his arrest, Sim was referred by the police to the Institute of Mental Health, where he was diagnosed with voyeurism. The court heard that Sim decided to stop his treatment halfway as it required the participation of his family members.

Sim told District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan that he did not want his parents to know of his crimes.

During sentencing, the judge said Sim’s acts of mischief were “purely reprehensible”.

Sim had pleaded guilty last week to eight counts of taking underskirt videos and two counts of mischief. Another 149 charges, mainly for taking upskirt images of women, were taken into consideration. He could have been jailed up to a year and fined for each charge. ( source )

We posted that article in its entirety… because if we had to feel that queasy feeling in the pits of our stomachs, we thought you should, too.

Biological contamination of the usual sort

Water lines break, machines at the water treatment plant go offline unexpectedly, well casing cracks, animals get into the wellhead area, etc. Any and all of the aforementioned events can result in unwanted biological contamination of drinking water.

So as usual, we suggest performing periodic bacteria testing on your water — especially if you have a private well. Water treatment plants have to follow strict testing schedules to ensure the quality of the water they distribute whereas no one, by law, has to test the quality of water coming from a private well after it passes its initial tests.

I read about cholera back in school and how it once ravages the US, or what they called the US back in the… 1800’s(?). Been a while since I was in school, though, so I don’t remember if they said it was something we needed to worry about anymore — and after the H1N1 panic/hype/scare/whatever I don’t know if I believe the news media these days when it comes to stuff like this. Should I be worried about cholera affecting me and my family?

We suppose that since cholera can pass from person to person via contaminated drinking water that we ought to address this matter. We can do so by saying that cholera has almost disappeared from the country entirely and doctors in the US confirmed only 61 cases between 1994 and 2000… with 37 of those cases originating from exposure to the virus overseas. ( source )

How does cholera spread?

The strands of cholera that make people sick typically reside in the intestines of warm-blooded mammals — in this case humans — and easily pass from an infected person’s body as the body loses large amounts of fluids in the form of diarrhea. In severe cases an infected person can lose massive amounts of fluids in a very short amount of time and in areas lacking proper sanitation (bathrooms, sinks for hand washing, etc.) the contaminated fluids have ample opportunity to get picked up by unsuspecting future victims.

Preventing cholera?

Since we already told you that very few cases of cholera have popped up in the US, and the news currently reports an outbreak in Haiti, a country known for not having proper sanitation for its very poor population, one COULD single out Haiti as the place to avoid, but in fact other countries, mostly ‘Third World’ countries, also experience problems with cholera from time to time — just not on as widespread a scale as we see in Haiti right now.

In all honesty, the same basic advice that travelers from the US have received before going abroad for many years can help keep them from becoming contaminated:

• Do not drink water whose origin you cannot verify, meaning do not drink water you have not boiled and/or treated with a disinfectant such as chlorine or iodine. test for chlorine, test for iodine
• Drinking beverages made with boiled water (such as tea and coffee) will usually pose little risk — as long as you do not add ice for any reason or use poorly cleaned or improperly washed cups/glasses. Carbonated beverages from sealed containers also usually do not pose much risk.
• Avoid raw foods and foods not thoroughly cooked, lukewarm or cold foods, and fruits/vegetables you have not peeled yourself.
• Undercooked or raw fish and shellfish… avoid them.
• Salads… avoid them. You do not know if the water used to wash the vegetables got boiled before use.
• Foods and beverages from street vendors… avoid them.

• Avoid taking perishable goods such as fruit, vegetables, meats, seafood items, etc. home with you.

Precautions to take here at home in the US?

Most importantly, we suggest WASHING YOUR DARN HANDS AFTER YOU USE THE BATHROOM! We all have seen people leaving the restroom in a public place w/o washing their hands. Nasty cretins! The fact that you didn’t think you had any spreadable diseases before entering the restroom does NOT mean you didn’t possibly pick one up while in there in as you opened the door, opened the stall door, flushed the toilet, etc., etc.

If enough people leave the bathroom w/o washing their hands eventually some infectious critter will get loose in the general public… and make everyone sick. Stop and wash your hands. It doesn’t take that long!

Worried about touching the door handle as you leave the bathroom and getting germs on your hand(s)? They sell portable bottles of hand sanitizer all over the place these days and they don’t cost a lot of money — so you have no reason not to carry one on your person or have one at your desk/workstation.

Getting back to cholera and drinking water?

Without a means of introduction into the water supply (ahem… wash your hands!) the disease cannot get too far in the US — and even then most water systems use highly effective disinfectants like chlorine and iodine to keep potentially harmful bacteria at bay and in check.

With so many news stories surfacing about pool water and/or drinking water not having adequate disinfectant levels many health officials have started pushing for increased testing and they don’t mean testing for chlorine residuals with test strips or liquid test kits which both require testers to match colors to get readings.

Rather than trust test personnel to use established methods of chlorine testing such as the Taylor FAS DPD Test Kit and/or the recently EPA Approved SenSafe Free Chlorine Water Check product, some folks want to remove as much subjectivity from the chlorine testing process as possible… and that means using meters to test chlorine residuals.

One example of a meter that some folks have turned to goes by the name of Extech (CL200) Exstik Direct Digital Reading Chlorine Meter and you can see a picture of that meter to the left.

The Extech CL200 Chlorine Testing Meter tests only for TOTAL chlorine, uses DPD as its reagent, requires roughly 2 minutes for testing, stores up to 15 readings internally, and detects total chlorine levels down to 0.01ppm (mg/L).

Extech, the manufacturer, claims the EPA has deemed the meter, with its associated DPD testing method, acceptable for wastewater compliance monitoring of Total Chlorine.

From what we can see on the IsoPureWater web site, this meter cannot used generic DPD tablets, DPD powder pillows, or DPD liquids designed for 10 mL sample sizes… and that means having fewer shopping options when the time comes to acquire replacement DPD reagents.

Not necessarily a show-stopper by any stretch of the imagination since a pack of 100 DPD reagent tablets for this meter costs under $30.

Definitely keep this meter in mind should you need a fast, compact meter for testing total chlorine levels in water.

City water systems typically use free chlorine or chloramines to disinfect the water prior to distribution and as we all know, chlorine has a distinct smell and taste associated with it. Point-of-use water filters such as faucet filters can help get rid of, or at the very least reduce, unpleasant chlorine tastes and smells in drinking water.

Need to test for chlorine? Take a look at Chlorine-Test-Kit.Com. If you have interest in drinking water faucet filters, check out the selection below:

Brita Disposable Faucet Filtration System, 35212
Brita 6025835212

Your Cost: $34.99
Regular Price: $39.99

The Brita Disposable Faucet Filtration System 35212 has been discontinued by the manufacturer and will no longer be available. The Brita Disposable Faucet Filtration System easily installs onto your kitchen faucet and provides maintenance-free filtration! Once it’s done you simply throw it away. System lasts up to 1 year (with no filter change) and filters up to 300 gallons. Features filter indicator light so you know when the status of your filter changes. NSF/ANSI Standard 53 tested approved for the reduction of: -Lead -Mercury -Cysts (Cryptosporidium and Giardia) -AsbestosNSF/ANSI Standard 42 tested approved for the reduction of: -Chlorine taste odor -Particulates (Class 1)

Brita Disposable Bathroom Faucet Filtration System
Brita 6025835213

Your Cost: $22.99
Regular Price: $24.99

“The Brita Disposable Bathroom Faucet Filtration System turns your bathroom tap water into healthy, great tasting water. The Drinking Fountain Feature eliminates the need for cups–and kids love it! The compact design of the Brita Disposable Bathroom Faucet System will not obstruct your sink and it’s disposable! System lasts up to 12 months or 50 gallons of water when 2 cups (16 oz) of filtered water are used per day. Once it’s done, simply throw it away. NSF/ANSI Standard 53 tested approved for the reduction of: -Lead -Mercury -Cysts (Cryptosporidium and Giardia) -Asbestos -Benzene -Methoxychlor -Toxaphene -Atrazine -CarbofuranNSF/ANSI Standard 42 tested approved for the reduction of: -Chlorine taste odor -Particulates (Class 1) ”

Brita AquaView Faucet Filtration System
Brita AquaView

Your Cost: $37.40
Regular Price: $52.59

“Model # 42645The Brita AquaView Faucet Filtration System allows you to actually see your filter changing color over time–so you know it’s working! The Brita AquaView also features a unique “out of the way” design that saves you sink space and filter indicator light that tells you exactly when you need to change your filter. The Brita AquaView filters are NSF / ANSI Standard 42 certified for reduction of Chlorine, Taste Odor as well as Particulates (Class 1). The Brita AquaView filter is NSF / ANSI Standard 53 tested and certified for the reduction of lead, cysts, asbestos, and turbidity. The AquaView also allows 3 different spray options for your convenience: Brita Filtered, Spray, and Stream. Package includes one filter and one system. No Tools required for installation and the Brita AquaView system installs on all standard size faucets.Quick and Easy Filter Replacement. ”

Brita AquaView Faucet Filter System (Bonus Filter)
Brita AquaView Bonus

Your Cost: $39.40
Regular Price: $65.00

“The Brita AquaView On Tap Faucet Filtration System allows you to actually see your filter changing color over time–so you know it’s working! The Brita AquaView also features a unique “out of the way” design that saves you sink space and filter indicator light that tells you exactly when you need to change your filter. The Brita AquaView filters Chlorine Taste Odor as well as Particulates (Class 1). NSF/ANSI tested and certified the AquaView reduces lead, cysts, asbestos, and turbidity. The AquaView also allows 3 different spray options for your convenience: Britia Filtered, Spray, and Stream. Package includes two filters and one system. ”

Brita AquaView Replacement Filter Cartridge
Brita AquaView Replacement

Your Cost: $19.95
Regular Price: $29.95

“The Brita AquaView Replacement Filter cartridge is the replacement filter for the Brita AquaView On Tap Filter model 42645, AVFF-100. Instructions included. Filter lasts for approximately 100 gallons or 4 months depending on water quality. Tested and certified by the NSF/ANSI this filter reduces: lead, cysts, particulate (class 1), and taste odor. Part number 42647. ”

OmniFilter F1 Series A Water Faucet Filter
OmniFilter F1

Your Cost: $15.99
Regular Price: $16.99

“The OmniFilter F1 Water Faucet Filter reduces rust, sediment, and chlorine taste odor from your water. This faucet water filter installs easily onto your faucet and provides great tasting water with just the turn of a knob. The OmniFilters F1 Series A includes the filter unit, filter cartridge FRC1, and adaptor kit. The FRC1 cartridge should be replaced ever 3 months or 200 gallons. The Omni Filter F1 specifications are as follows:Flow Rate – .75 gpm Micron rating – 50 Filter change indicator dial Capacity 200 gallons Reduces Chlorine / Rust / Sediment / Dirt The replacement cartridges for the OmniFilter F1 are the FRC1 and the FRC1-D. ”

F-2C WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System
Waterpik F-2C

Your Cost: $16.99
Regular Price: $18.99

“The F-2C WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System is an affordable convienent way to remove chlorine, bad taste and odor from your drinking water. Installs in less than 4 minutes! NSF Tested and Certified. The F-2C Systems features : Quick Installation — Less than 4 minutesEconomical Cost — Great Tasting Water at a Fraction of the Cost of Bottled WaterConvenient Selector — Let’s you switch between filtered and unfiltered water easilyStep by Step InstructionsNSF/ANSI Standard 42 Tested and Approved for Chlorine Taste and Odor ReductionThe Waterpik F2C Faucet Filter System takes replacement cartridge R2C2 or R2C4. Cartridge should be replaced every 3 months for optimum performance. ”

F-5 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System
WaterPik F5

Your Cost: $19.99
Regular Price: $24.99

“Model F-5 (White) and Model F-5C (Chrome)The F-5 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System reduces Chlorine, Lead, Bad Taste, Odor, and Cysts. The F-5 Faucet Filter System comes with the R-5 filter cartridge and installs in less than 4 minutes.Reduces lead, cysts, chlorine, bad taste and odor Three-month, 200 gallon capacity. Choose between filtered and unfiltered water to extend filter life. System tested and certified by NSF International against ANSI/NSF Standard 42 for the reduction of Chlorine (Class II), Taste and Odor. System tested and certified by NSF International against ANSI/NSF Standard 53 for the reduction of Cysts and Lead Includes a replaceable filter cartridge, R-5. Easy installation in less than 4 minutes. No tools required White finish and white cover. This F-5 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System meets NSF / ANSI standard 42 for the reduction of 97% of Chlorine Taste and Odor This F-5 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System meets NSF / ANSI standard53 for the reduction of 99% of Cysts 99% + of Lead ”

F-6 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System
WaterPik F6

Your Cost: $13.99
Regular Price: $19.99

“Model F-6 (White with Clear Cover)The F-6 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System is an affordable and convenient way to purify your water from your faucet. The F-6 Faucet Filter System comes with the R-2C filter cartridge.Reduces chlorine, bad taste and odor. Three-month, 200 gallon capacity. Choose between filtered and unfiltered water to extend filter life. System tested and certified by NSF International against ANSI/NSF Standard 42 for the reduction of Chlorine (Class II), Taste and Odor. Includes a replaceable filter cartridge, R-2C. White finish and clear cover. This F-6 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System meets NSF / ANSI standard 42 for the reduction of 92% of Chlorine Taste and Odor ”

F-7 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System
WaterPik F7

Your Cost: $23.95
Regular Price: $34.95

“THE WATERPIK F7 HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY THE MANUFACTURER. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WATERPIK F8, WHICH REMOVES MORE CONTAMINANTS AND HAS RECENTLY BEEN REDUCED IN PRICE. Model F-7 (White)The F-7 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System is an affordable and convenient way to purify your water from your faucet. It installs in a few minutes and has an electronic filter indicator to notify you when it is time to change the filter.One of the most advanced electronic faucet filters available System tested and certified by NSF International against ANSI/NSF Standard 42 for the reduction of Chlorine (Class I), Taste and Odor, Particulate (Class I). System tested and certified by NSF International against ANSI/NSF Standard 53 for the reduction of Cysts, Lead, Lindane and Asbestos. Three-month, 200 gallon capacity. Choose between filtered and unfiltered water to extend filter life. Green, yellow and red monitor light indicates when to change filter. Includes a replaceable, easy to install, high performance carbon block filter, the R-7. White finish and white cover. This F-7 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System meets NSF / ANSI standard 42 for the reduction of 97.2% of Chlorine Taste and Odor 99.55% of Particulates Class IThis F-7 WaterPik End of Faucet Water Filter System meets NSF / ANSI standard53 for the reduction of 99.98% of Cysts 99% + of Lead 97.5% of Lindane 99.98% of Asbestos ”

Looking for more types of water filters? Take a look at the Water Filters Detailed List over on WaterTestBlog.Com

BEIJING — China’s health ministry ordered accurate reporting of the spread of H1N1 influenza and threatened to punish officials who conceal cases of the virus after a prominent medical expert raised doubts about the true number of deaths reported to date.

In a statement posted late Thursday on the Ministry of Health’s Web site, spokesman Deng Haihua reiterated the need for local health departments to ensure timely reporting of H1N1 cases, and welcomed the media and the public to supervise and discuss the ministry’s work in fighting H1N1. Mr. Deng said that concealment, underreporting, or delays in transmitting information about the spread of the illness would be subject to punishment.

Earlier Thursday, state-run media in the southern province of Guangdong reported that Dr. Zhong Nanshan had voiced suspicions about the low number of reported fatalities from H1N1. Dr. Zhong, director of the Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Guangzhou, is best known for speaking out in 2003 against official reports that initially covered up the extent of the SARS epidemic.

“I basically don’t believe the current reported number of nationwide H1N1 deaths,” he was quoted as saying by the Guangzhou Daily. Dr. Zhong said he believed that some regions had concealed reports of H1N1 deaths to create the impression that they had been successful in their local prevention efforts, according to the report.

Since mainland China reported its first H1N1 death in early October, there have been only 53 deaths reported out of nearly 70,000 confirmed cases. According to the World Health Organization, the world-wide mortality rate for H1N1 has been four deaths per 1,000 cases of illness, a ratio that was repeated by China’s Ministry of Health when it warned of the threat posed by H1N1 a few weeks ago. ( source )

While they have not, to our knowledge, found any cases of H1N1 traveling from person to person via drinking water, that does not mean anyone should let their guard down when it comes to water quality testing or purification. Diligent use of available water testing and water disinfecting methods may not play an active role in stopping the spread of the H1N1 virus, that we know of right now, but it can help prevent a whole host of other illnesses.

One place where proper use of sanitizing and disinfecting REALLY matters… childcare facilities and daycare centers. Children know nothing about how germs and bacteria spread and often leave mucous, saliva or other bodily secretions on commonly touched surfaces such as toys, doorknobs, furniture, etc. They mean no harm and don’t do things like that intentionally, but it happens.

For that reason health officials suggest, and have mandated in some states, that operators of childcare and daycare centers have their staff check the chlorine levels in their sanitizing and disinfecting solutions daily. Think of it this way: What good would it do to wipe down a contaminated surface with a cleaning solution incapable of properly disinfecting or sanitizing?

The waterborne Legionella pathogen that causes typically treatable but potentially fatal Legionnaire’s disease is found in domestic drinking water systems, cooling towers, evaporative condensers and decorative fountains. Other contained systems like vehicle washing equipment are also at risk. A May 2008 public Legionnaires’ outbreak was linked to a self-serve carwash in Australia and two Albany, NY bus washing system employees who contracted the illness in August 2007, according to industry trade reports. ( source )

Health officials and scientists often find Legionella pathogens in closed water systems with elevated water temperatures. The higher temperatures make maintaining an adequate disinfectant level in the water very difficult and for that reason certain pathogens can flourish in these environments.

In cases where the water gets converted to a mist by sprinkler systems, produce misters or other devices, the Legionella pathogen can become airborne and have an excellent opportunity to infect a large number of people very rapidly.

Signs of exposure include, but may not be limited to, high fever temperatures and flu-like symptoms. People with suppressed or weakend immune systems tend to become infected faster and often times more seriously than people with healthy immune systems.

What methods exist for preventing the growth and distribution of the Legionella pathogen?

Thermal Heat/Flush – Water temperature raised to as high as 160ºF for up to 30 minutes to sterilize systems. Chemical-free, commonly-used method requires no additional equipment. Labor intensive and can prove ineffective for long-term Legionella infestation management. Can damage older pipes and creates potential for scalding.

Shock (Hyper) Chlorination – Chlorine injected into water distribution system. Initial shock chlorination levels approach 50 ppm, and taper off to create 2ppm to 5ppm chlorine cycle. Chlorine decomposes rapidly at elevated water temperatures; Legionella re-colonization can occur in as little as one to two weeks during continuous chlorination following the shock. Highly corrosive to plumbing (can be offset in part with silicate corrosion control). Places facility employees handle stored chemicals or implement disinfection at risk for exposure to chlorine byproduct Trihalomethane (THMs, linked to several types of cancer).

Chlorine Dioxide – Chlorine Dioxide (CIO2) is EPA-approved for potable water disinfectant use under CFR Par 141-National Primary Drinking Water Regulation. Commonly used in Europe, CIO2 is a gas generated by either chemical or electrolytic means and distributed throughout the water distribution system. The powerful oxidant kills Legionella and other bacteria. CIO2 readily decomposes in drinking water and residuals decrease as water system temperatures rise, making this treatment approach difficult in hot water systems. CIO2 is corrosive to plumbing infrastructure and creates byproducts including chlorate and chlorite; field testing for EPA maximum limits is required.

Copper-Silver Ionization – Latest advance in disinfection methods dissolves and distributes small amounts of copper and silver ions throughout water systems to eradicate bacteria. Continuous eradication metallic ion unit is required. Highly effective in eliminating Legionella, particularly in recirculation hot water systems, according to research and monitoring of hospital-implemented systems by Janet F. Stout, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh special pathogens laboratory director and an international expert on waterborne pathogens. ( source )

Each Legionella prevention method requires testing on one level or another. Thermometers, high range free chlorine test strips, chlorine dioxide test strips, and/or dissolved copper in water test strips can all play a key part in maintaining a safe, Legionella-free closed water system.