Why Legionella is still a risk & what to do about it

Legionella is likely one of those things that you’ve heard about on the news, but you might not have had reason to give it a second thought. While you wouldn’t be the only one to believe that waterborne disease is a thing of the past, eliminated from modernity by advanced water purification technologies, this isn’t the case. Here, we take a look at what Legionella is, why it’s still a risk in the modern world, and what you can do about it.

What is Legionella?

Legionella pneumophila is a common form of bacteria that is found in a wide range of freshwater environments. While it isn’t dangerous in low concentrations, when it’s able to grow rapidly in certain environments, it can become a serious health risk.

When inhaled suspended in small water droplets known as aerosols, it can cause a serious type of atypical pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease. While dangerous for all kinds of people, it can pose a particularly high health risk for those with a weakened immune system, a history of smoking, or any other pre-existing pulmonary disorders.

Why is it still a risk?

After the first outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in 1976, a range of strategies were put in place to help ensure that no further outbreaks would occur. While these strategies have been impressively effective, they have by no means eliminated Legionella pneumophila entirely. 

As we’ve seen in recent years, complacency in ongoing mitigation strategies has resulted in a surge in cases across America and Europe, showing that it is still a very real and present threat that needs tackling in a diverse range of contexts.

How can it be prevented?

As is the case with most forms of risk prevention, one of the most important parts of Legionella prevention is the use of risk assessments. In particular, you’ll likely need to use a specialist risk assessor with access to certain testing equipment, so that they can carry out a Legionella risk assessment. 

Based on their findings, they’ll likely make a range of recommendations about changes that need to be made in your approach to water safety. Some of these may be relatively minor, however in other cases, it may be critical that they’re implemented at the earliest opportunity available.

Practical steps to ensure Legionella prevention

Legionella bacteria tend to multiply at their fastest in stagnant water sources, between around 20-45 degrees centigrade. As a result, most practical measures to prevent Legionella from multiplying revolve around ensuring these conditions aren’t present in any water systems. By testing water storage containers and pipes on an ongoing basis, this isn’t too difficult to do.

The risk of Legionella hasn’t gone anywhere; in fact, if anything the risk has arguably risen as a result of widespread complacency. By following the steps outlined above, anyone responsible for the safety of material premises should be able to limit the risk of Legionella, ensuring the well-being of everyone who spends time in those spaces.