HEALTH AND SANITATION 33
It is not one discipline ’ s problem !
By
Rory Macnamara
With single figures being reported in South Africa of people who have fallen to Legionella disease , it is easy to apportion blame to one discipline , which is the way out and therefore reaches no conclusion .
As the 2nd part of the IAPMO article was devoted to American standards I thought it best to look at SA standards as well as acknowledge IAPMO for the direction .
Our concern , as plumbers , must be that the installation is done strictly according to compulsory standards by qualified plumbers and designed by engineers that are versed in waterborne diseases .
Around the world there has been an increase in the number of cases and in South Africa under the Occupational Health and Safety Act No 85 of 1993 , Legionella is a reportable disease as it is considered a Hazardous Biological Agent ( HBA ).
With our quality of water being reported as declining in certain areas it is essential that government , engineers and water bodies ( private and public ) pay attention to this disease .
To achieve this , a comprehensive plumbing design must be in place which should include the plumber who is well equipped to provide input on the matter of plumbing .
* Legionella species ( more than 40 known species ) are found in most natural and man-made water sources , including municipal water , at low levels that are not harmful to healthy individuals . It is in systems that store water where these bacteria can grow and multiply to dangerous levels . The cause of legionella can be ,
• Temperature between 20degrees and 45degrees
• Pipes with low flow / dead legs
• Certain plumbing materials
• Water heaters and water storage tanks
• Scale , sediment and biofilm in plumbing and distribution systems .
Employers are required by the SA Regulations for HBA promulgated in 2001 to test every two years for legionella in their water distribution systems .
** in an article , referenced below and dated 5 / 6 / 22 , Greg Swafford , highlighted two critical aspects of causes and solutions which we have permission to extract . “ A Perfect Storm Both internal and external factors are contributing to the increase of legionella in the United States :
Aging water service infrastructure . Each year approximately 240 000 water main breaks occur in the United States ( https :// bit . ly / 3raGvc4 ) According to the American Water Works Association ( AWWA ) repairing and replacing old water pipes could cost more than $ 1 Trillion over the next 20 years . the residual effects of water main breaks include bacterial contamination and bacterial corrosion resulting in a habitat favourable to the proliferation of waterborne pathogens . Until new infrastructure is installed , the US will continue to experience water contamination in municipal water service and plumbing systems .
Widespread use of low water flow fixtures . Water has changed drastically since the implementation of the US Energy Policy Act ( 1992 ). This policy made the production and sale of low flow plumbing fixtures necessary to reduce water use ; however , industry standard for sizing methods for water distribution piping did not change . As a result , potable water service and water distribution systems are grossly oversized , creating an environment conducive for biofilm and bacteria growth .
Building water systems during Covid-19 . Feeding the perfect storm is the extended vacancy and reduced occupancy that buildings are experiencing during the pandemic . Re-occupying a building with neglected water systems increases the likelihood pf Legionella bacteria transmission . ( Ed ’ s comment – at the beginning of the pandemic Plumbing Africa published the NIOH ’ s exclusive article for Plumbing Africa on this very topic )
Increased lawsuits . With an increased understanding of the cause of Legionella , there is an increase in allegations of negligence and liability claims . With a standard of care established in ANSI / ASHRAE 188 , just one Legionella disease claim could cost negligent owners millions of dollars in litigation costs and settlement claims .
Insurance coverage . Insurance companies are fighting their liability for coverage as more lawsuits and claims are brought forward . Some insurers are limiting coverage or imposing higher deductibles if building systems are outdated ( https :// reut . rs / 33X10zS ) others are asking customers to document how they maintain plumbing and cooling systems . This is leaving building owners exposed to great financial risks . Building owners are not the only ones exposed to allegations of negligence or liability claims . Engineers are also exposed to liability given the widespread availability of industry research and recommendations concerning design strategies to control Legionella .
Continuous increase in construction costs . Construction costs have increased more than 5 % each year since 2017 ( https :// bit . ly / 3rUXXAp ). Architectural , engineer and construction teams are consistently asked to evaluate options for cost savings . Unfortunately , the relentless pressure to cut costs makes effective design concepts and innovative products developed to manage risk constantly vulnerable to elimination from the project design .”
This is a good time for us to have a look at the South African requirements , lest we poo poo these points under the guise of ‘ Oh well , this is happening in the USA ’.
Good news readers , we have excellent standards in South Africa for legionella . While they may stand alone , one hopes that the Technical
August 2022 Volume 28 I Number 6 www . plumbingafrica . co . za