Despite being the oldest and most widely accepted technique for the detection of Legionella bacteria, it is well documented that lab culture testing has many limitations. Foremost, most lab culture tests take 7-10 days to return results. Yet Legionella can double in a day.
Sustainability in commercial plumbing focuses on modern pipe sizing to reduce material use and Legionella risk. Efficient layouts and lower-carbon materials like PEX and recycled PVC can lower greenhouse gas emissions, while improved equipment efficiency and training help reduce operational and embodied carbon emissions.
In my January column, I began a series focused on chemical and non-chemical additives or technologies that I treat as “must consider” for plumbing engineers in their design practices to reduce the risk of legionella bacteria developing in the domestic water system.