LEGIONELLA UPDATE

Qubec 2012:
Learned, Done & to Do
Alain Trahan,
P.Eng.
20th of March
2014
Cooling towers are the outside
heat sinks that exhaust the heat
carried by the air conditioning
cooling water circuit used in
buildings HVAC systems.
www.h2obiotech.com
What is a cooling tower?
Pump
HVAC
Air
conditioning
www.h2obiotech.com
What is a cooling tower?
Step 1:
www.h2obiotech.com
How it works
Step 2:
Magic of evaporation
Liquid water + energy Water vapor (with less energy remaining in the liquid)
Evaporative cooling
www.h2obiotech.com
How it works (in a bio-clean world !)
Dry air
Humid air (evaporated water)
+
Water loss (drift)
Dry air
Warm water
from AC
Cool water
to AC
Demister
Water distributor
Fill
Fan
Water make-up
Typically between
85 and 95 F.
www.h2obiotech.com
In the real dirty world

Dry air Dry air
Wind
Building fresh
air intake louvers
Building fresh
air intake louvers
Simple definition:

An ubiquitous aquatic organism that causes Pontiac Fever
and Legionnaires disease (lung infection) if inhaled.

Thrives in temperatures between 77 and 122 F.

Travels from infected water source through aerosolized water
droplets.
www.h2obiotech.com
Legionella pneumophila
In the United States

10,000 to 20,000 people get infected by legionella every year.

Various studies have shown that some 40 to 60% of tested cooling towers contained Legionella.

Legionnaires disease mortality rate: 10 to 15% of those infected.
Cooling tower drift
www.h2obiotech.com
Biofilms

Form on surfaces in aquatic systems.

Often resistant to biocides.

Monitoring is difficult.

Release organisms into bulk fluid.

Cost the US nation billions of dollars yearly in equipment damage, product
contamination, energy losses and medical infections.

Bacteria
www.h2obiotech.com
The old way
Make-up
Warm water
Cool water
Blow-down
CHEMICAL$$$
(transport, storage, handling)
Qubec 2012: Source?
www.h2obiotech.com
Qubec 2012: 11 km!
www.h2obiotech.com
24% had Lp sp1!
www.h2obiotech.com
Before: ASHRAE 62.1-2010
Specifies minimum distances between CTs vs
Air Intakes & Kitchen exhausts.
Not frequently applied especially by architect.

Mitigation :
UVGI of fresh Air: always when high risk
occupants
Project the CT plume higher
Prevent food particles from reaching the CT.
www.h2obiotech.com
Before: Pesticide Regulatory System
Pesticides need to be approved by HC for each
use with application guidelines.
Sellers & applicators need certification.

Reality :
Provincial application.
No processes for CT biocides!
>75% non compliance in commercial blds for
concentration, contact time or hydraulics.
www.h2obiotech.com
Before: Guidelines not Standards
ASHRAE 12-2000
AWT 2003 (2008)
CTI WTB-148 (2008)
CDC

Reality :
Contradict each other.
Incomplete.
Control is left to water treatment as a last step
in general.
Voluntary: doesnt work.
www.h2obiotech.com
Before: Guide for Hospitals in 2005
Very Generic
www.h2obiotech.com
During
Hopes of official that situation would go away
by itself
High dose oxidizing biocide only.
CDC protocol ASSumes surfaces are clean &
circulation in whole system.
Plan created during crisis.
Localisation & owners unknown.
No early public communication.
www.h2obiotech.com
Lessons : Emergency planning

Have a plan of action:
If this then that, etc.
What, Where, How, When, Who.
Work upstream of Legionella.
Do not ASSume or Hope-away.
Legislate.
www.h2obiotech.com
Lessons : Immediate steps

Stop the fans!
Ultra High Efficiency drift eliminators
Decontamination:
Clean first to remove deposits.
Circulate in whole system.
Fast acting biocide that keeps its efficiency
throughout the system.
Know system volume.
Analyze biocide concentration
www.h2obiotech.com
Lessons : Involve outside experts
Interview with an official from the health agency
DSP followed by one with the building code
agency, RBQ
www.h2obiotech.com
Lessons : Involve outside experts
Interview with an official the RBQ Building Code
Agency
www.h2obiotech.com
After: Qubec Law 2013, phase I of III
The Excellent:
Mandatory documentation of actions
& tests results.
Schematics of system.
Mandatory maintenance plan signed
by at least one professional.
40 inspectors actually going to each
site.

www.h2obiotech.com
2013 Law: Form signed by Owner!
www.h2obiotech.com
4 Dimensions of Risk Management
www.h2obiotech.com
Interrelation of the 4 dimensions
Law Description
Water
Treatment
Hydraulic Solids Drift
402.1 Overwintering X X X X
402.2 Operational stops X X
402.3 Decontamination X X X X
402.4
Corrosion, Scale,
Organics
X X X
402.5 Schematics X X X
402.6 Water treatment quality X X X
402.7 Chemicals X
402.8 Mechanical Verification X X
www.h2obiotech.com
Law 2013, Phase I : the Good
Any law is great.
Well made technical guide & training
sessions
Inspectors systematically validate
backflows & existence of signed
documentation
Tickets with 7 days to comply.
Inspectors take pictures.
Indicators & Lp analysis with action
levels
www.h2obiotech.com
Law 2013, phase I: the Good
Level
Result
(logs/L)
Action
Normal
< 4
Intervene
4 - 6
Identify causes. Validate efficiency of new
measures.
Sanitary Risk
> 6
Apply Decontamination. Identify root
causes & correct maintenance plan.
Validate efficiency of new measures.
Test for Legionella pneumophila.
Legionella pneumophila Test concentration & Action Levels
www.h2obiotech.com
2013 Phase I: Lessons
Plans : copy-paste
Schematics have or are:
Not up-to-date
No flow speed or materials of
construction
No zones of stand-by operation
Inspectors have no powers.


www.h2obiotech.com
After: Coroners report, 2013-09

www.h2obiotech.com
After: Public Health Report
www.h2obiotech.com
After: Media reports
Radio-Canada (CBC) had a 30
minutes piece that showed
delayed actions by officials.
www.h2obiotech.com
After: Workers Health & Safety
www.h2obiotech.com
Graduated Risk Management
www.h2obiotech.com
After: Sampling Guide
www.h2obiotech.com
After: Very Good CT Guide
www.h2obiotech.com
After: Excellent Full Day Training
Michelle Merchat, Climespace
www.h2obiotech.com
Law 2014, phase II: the Excellent
Specific cleaning step
independant from
decontamination
Stop the fans if log 6 or more
Identification of sampling points

www.h2obiotech.com
Law 2014, phase II: the Good
Mandatory testing for Legionella
p. every 30 days at most.

www.h2obiotech.com
Interrelation of the 4 dimensions
Law Description
Water
Treatment
Hydraulic Solids Drift
402.7a Sampling Points X
402.8 Chemicals X
402.9 Mechanical Verification X X
406 Log book X X X
407+
408
Sampling procedures X X
417 4-6 logs Action Plan X X X X
418 Interfering flora X x
419 >6 logs, Action Plan X X X X
www.h2obiotech.com
Interrelation of the 4 dimensions
Law Description
Water
Treatment
Hydraulic Solids Drift
402.1 Overwintering X X X X
402.2 Operational stops X X
402.3 Decontamination X X X X
402.4+
402.9
Preventive Cleaning X X X X
402.5
Corrosion, Scale,
Organics
X X X
402.6 Schematics X X X
402.7 Water treatment quality X X X
www.h2obiotech.com
Beyond: What we do
Guidelines, Standards & Regulations
are a minimum
ASHRAE 188 methodology
Zero risk does not exist.
Risk = Probability x Consequences
Multiple barriers: if one fails we avoid
an outbreak
Non-oxydising biocide measurement
On-site one hour Legionella
measurement!

www.h2obiotech.com
Risk Assessment: beyond 62.1
Risk = concentration x duration.
Occupants: long exposition.
High riks by Common Sense :
Close to ground, next to parking, bld entrance.
Next to roof terrasse, balconies.
Adjacent to open windows.
Mitigation: UHE eliminator, lower C, continuous
or low tox or permanent biocide. Ex: Cu/Ag
ionisation




www.h2obiotech.com
Beyond: Flow Speed
Higher flow speed = less biofilm
5+ fps up to 10 fps especially for
horizontal lines.
No dead legs: mitigation approach

www.h2obiotech.com
Vulnerability of CT
Contamination Mitigation
Insects from
waterway
Intake screens
Pollen, leaves,
etc
screens, basin sweep,
filters, continuous
biocide, etc.
Algea
Sunlight shade, Cu
ionization
Dust filter, basin sweep
Vulnerability vs environment thru seasons?
www.h2obiotech.com
Beyond: Deposits & Corrosion
Variable speed motors to avoid:
Total evaporation deposits
Stray current corrosion.
Mechanical action to remove deposits.
Zinc coatings are subject to white rust
corrosion.
Copper to steel surface ratio.
Is it clean?
www.h2obiotech.com
Back-Flow Preventer
Biocide means kill the biological
Some are banned from hospitals!
www.h2obiotech.com
Water Meter & Level Control
Towers purge water but take no make-
up?!?
No moving parts Water meter.
Convert from continuous water MU to
ON-OFF.
www.h2obiotech.com
Green & Bio Chemicals
Feels good to use these, doesnt it?
Banning zinc? used in baby cream with
20%+ ZnO.
No area in Canada has too much Zinc.
Zinc is essential to life. No Zn in the
environment means no Zn in our food.
Life-cycle approach rather than Bio
www.h2obiotech.com
Local Control: Very bad
www.h2obiotech.com
Local Control: Average
Most common currently
T compensated conductivity by dual
carbon probes
Flow switch, Pre-bleed, Bleed block,
Water meter input, permanent program.
www.h2obiotech.com
Probe
Toroidal Conductivity :
deposits & chem.
Valve
Ball valve, not solenoid :
plugging.
Meter
No moving parts & low
flow range.
Level
Chem inventory, water MU
control.
Wireless
Meter, valve, level, etc.
pH+ORP
Oxydizing biocides dosing.
Record
Conductivity, T,
Meter, etc.
www.h2obiotech.com
Local Control: Best

Internet accessible PLC.
Continuous inhibitor measurement
Change S depending on operating mode
Increase cooling capacity without
changing the system.
www.h2obiotech.com
Beyond: Internal Tank
Last in, last out: hydraulic factor closer to
1
PE instead of steel
Easy to access
Bottom does not favor accumulation
Affects biocide selection & risk strategy

www.h2obiotech.com
District Cooling
No, ZERO Legionella risk
No island effect, less smog
Energy & GHG savings
No potable or net water use

Thank you!
Alain Trahan, ing.
atrahan@h2obiotech.com
(514) 943-9044
Prepared with
Philippe-Andre.Boileau@chimisteconseil.com
www.h2obiotech.com
Copper - Silver Ionization
Input: 110-240VAC 50/60Hz
Output to electrodes: 0 to 42V