{"id":39261,"date":"2026-03-19T08:18:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:18:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.duboischemicals.com\/?post_type=expert_insights&p=39261"},"modified":"2026-03-19T08:29:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:29:35","slug":"are-legionella-regulations-raising-the-bar","status":"publish","type":"expert_insights","link":"https:\/\/www.duboischemicals.com\/fr\/expert-insights\/are-legionella-regulations-raising-the-bar\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Legionella Regulations Raising the Bar?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As building water systems become more complex and facility building professionals work to save water, the risk for\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0increases. Large residential and mixed-use buildings often use a large hot water loop to provide direct hot water. When using less water, the water gets older and the chlorine put in by the city isn\u2019t as effective. As the infrastructure ages, concerns grow and issues can compound.<\/p>\n

With heightened awareness around sanitization and respiratory health, it is important to consider your water system in your safety plan. Educate your teams in current water chemistry hygiene methods<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Localized\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0regulations are often implemented following an outbreak. Many questions have been raised regarding the effectiveness of such regulations. We used the power of our data management platform to attempt to answer these questions.<\/p>\n

KEY INSIGHT: Legionella<\/em> is a bacteria that can cause diseases including Legionella<\/em> pneumonia, more commonly known as Legionnaire\u2019s disease, <\/strong>and Pontiac fever. It appears in natural water environments, including rivers and lakes, and artificial water environments, including cooling towers and fountains. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Cooling Tower Regulations and Peace of Mind<\/h2>\n

Legionella<\/em>\u00a0risk mitigation measures have received more press coverage in recent years. Data from the\u00a0Centers for Disease Control\u00a0and Prevention shows the incidence rate has increased significantly.<\/p>\n

Need for Action<\/h2>\n

Legionella<\/em>\u00a0outbreaks in various North American geographies have resulted in localized legislation and regulations. One example of this occurred in Quebec City after a Legionella outbreak in 2012 that resulted in 180 confirmed cases. . Owners must now document the mechanical maintenance program as well as their water treatment program. Since July 2014, the regulation also requires\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0sampling of cooling towers on a 30-day interval basis.<\/p>\n

Outside of Quebec City, regulations were implemented after similar Legionella<\/em> outbreaks in the 2010s across the United States in places including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota<\/p>\n

Looking Forward, Is This Having a Positive Impact?<\/h2>\n

These changes were large hurdles to adapt to and overcome but these regulatory changes offered an opportunity to collect a significant amount of data on cooling water programs and the presence of\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0bacteria in cooling systems. Many Legionella<\/em>\u00a0samples were collected during the years following these outbreaks.<\/p>\n

At a glance, the results indicated that the regulatory changes were having a positive impact on field results. These strong improvements in results were achieved without changing the water treatment programs, but rather by raising awareness and accountability.<\/p>\n

You Can\u2019t Manage What You Don\u2019t Measure<\/h2>\n

The data over the past years has indicated that measuring the performance of the water treatment program through\u00a0Legionella<\/em> sampling created a willingness to improve these programs.\u00a0Drawing on lessons from organizational behavior, regulations can have an impact on behavior through applying the 5 A\u2019s:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Assessment<\/li>\n
  2. Awareness<\/li>\n
  3. Accountability<\/li>\n
  4. Action<\/li>\n
  5. Acknowledgement<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Increased regulations force assessments through legislated sampling requirements. This create a sense of awareness and accountability from the cooling tower owners. Actions are followed through and the impact of these actions are acknowledged through re-sampling.<\/p>\n

    Now What?<\/h2>\n

    The HVAC industry, including water treatment firms and cooling equipment manufacturers, are often reticent to the introduction of new regulations. The data indicates that regulations can raise the bar on how to properly control water treatment programs. This can lead to reduction in levels and incidences of\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0positivity. Clear and simple regulations can have a major impact on the risk associated with the presence of higher levels of\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0in cooling water systems.<\/p>\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n

    The data confirms the strongly held belief that you can\u2019t manage what you don\u2019t measure. Following the 5 A\u2019s not only has a positive impact on operating costs but can also reduce risk by lowering the level and presence of\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0in a cooling system.<\/p>\n

    Spring is the perfect time to also remind ourselves of the best practices for a cooling tower preventative maintenance program. Following these best practices allows your cooling system to reach Least Cost Operating Solution and minimizes your\u00a0Legionella<\/em>\u00a0risk.<\/p>\n

    Contact DuBois\u2019 experts to learn more about how to prevent Legionella <\/em>in your operations.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    As building water systems become more complex and facility building professionals work to save water, the risk for\u00a0Legionella\u00a0increases. Large residential and mixed-use buildings often use a large hot water loop to provide direct hot water….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":38710,"template":"","expert_category":[1860],"class_list":["post-39261","expert_insights","type-expert_insights","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","expert_category-water-treatment"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAre Legionella Regulations Raising the Bar? - DuBois Chemicals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Protect health by addressing Legionella risks in building water systems with proper hygiene and safety planning.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.duboischemicals.com\/fr\/expert-insights\/are-legionella-regulations-raising-the-bar\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Are Legionella Regulations Raising the Bar? 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