If you’re concerned about water quality monitoring, water management plans, how to sample building water after prolonged closures, or Legionella prevention, here’s some welcome news: the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) released an updated edition of their “Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of Legionella in Building Water Systems” guide. The AIHA is one of the leading… Read more »
Complying with The Joint Commission’s New Water Management Standard
Did you know that on January 1, 2022, The Joint Commission’s new water management standard for healthcare facilities went into effect? This new standard (EC.02.05.02, EPs 1 through 4) supersedes the previous version (EC.02.05.01, EP 14) which “addressed the need for healthcare organizations to minimize pathogenic biological agents in cooling towers, domestic hot- and cold-water… Read more »
Lead Water Testing for Schools: What’s Coming Down the Pipe?
School lead water testing…we did that already, didn’t we? Yes, but there are signs indicating there is more to come. The voluntary program launched by the State Water Resources Control Board in 2017 formally ended in July of 2019. However, recent legislation requires testing lead in water for all licensed Child Care Centers (CCCs) in… Read more »
Review of Lead in Water Testing Requirements for California Childcare Centers
Lead in drinking water presents very real public health risks, especially for children. In children, lead exposure can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems. No safe level of lead exposure in children has been identified. The latest round in the… Read more »
Legionella Treatment: Approaches to Disinfection
Prompted by the abundance of news coverage around COVID-19, a public radio station in Illinois recently broadcast a story about another threat to public health — one that’s often overlooked: 569 cases of Legionnaires’ Disease (Legionellosis) were reported in the state of Illinois alone in 2019. 43 of those patients died. Nationwide, there were almost… Read more »
Lead in School Drinking Water: Are Students at Risk?
You’re attending an event at a public school, and you’re thirsty. Your choices are to buy a soft drink from the machine or refill your empty water container at the drinking fountain in the hallway. You’d prefer a cold bottle of spring water, but that selection is sold out. Question: Would you have any fear… Read more »
Legionella & Legionnaires’ Disease – Frequently Asked Questions
Legionella & Legionnaires’ Disease are environmental health issues that FACS experts often receive questions about. Given that Legionella was discovered less than 50 years ago and is a relatively “young” subject among environmental health issues, there are lots of questions to be asked. On March 5th, 2019, FACS’ Legionella Expert Megan Canright, MPH, CIH, partnered… Read more »
Legionnaires’ Disease Prevention and Control
A brief account of the first Legionnaires’ disease crisis: On July 27th, three days after returning home from the 1976 American Legion convention in Philadelphia, Ray Brennan died of what appeared to be a heart attack. Within days, four other Legionnaires had passed away. By August 9th, the death count was at 27.1 Three of… Read more »