ASHRAE Journal - May 2012 - 99

subsequently prevented new cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with those systems.2–7 Consider whirlpool spas (hot tubs). Outbreak investigators found spa-related Legionnaires’ disease was linked to poor maintenance,8 leading to the development of guidelines for maintenance of spas. The Health Protection Agency in London reported in 2006 that every spa it investigated in connection with Legionnaires’ disease was not maintained according to its guidelines.9 ASHRAE Guideline 12-2000, Minimizing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems, states that, in surveys of spas, Legionella has been found only when disinfectant levels were not maintained adequately.10 Therefore, adhering to the requirements of Standard 188 could have a profound effect on reducing Legionnaires’ disease.

saving Money Using standard 188
Standard 188 can be cost effective if it is properly implemented. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Legionella is the number one cause of waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States and is the most expensive.11,12 The average cost of a hospital stay associated with Legionnaires’ disease, per 2007 Medicare data, was $86,014.13 Direct health-care costs for the disease run from $101 to $321 million annually, according to the CDC.12 Adding indirect

costs for lost employee work time and productivity brings the estimated total to more than one billion dollars per year.14 Litigation can be another cost associated with Legionnaires’ disease. And, loss of business resulting from media attention and bad word-of-mouth can be crippling; some hotels have shut down permanently following an outbreak. For building owners, the cost of applying the standard includes establishing a Legionella HACCP water plan, implementing the control measures in the plan, and validating that the plan is effective in preventing Legionnaires’ disease. The cost of getting a HACCP plan varies depending in part on whether the building owner gathers some of the water system data himself or hires an outside vendor to do the work. But, in either case the cost will not be excessive. Moreover, developing the HACCP plan will be a one-time expense, other than some costs for periodic updating. Implementing the plan’s control measures may increase maintenance budgets for some buildings; However, these are primarily to initiate measures that should have been in place beforehand. It’s unreasonable to blame Standard 188 for increased costs associated with bringing maintenance up to par. Validating that the HACCP plan is effectively preventing Legionnaires’ disease doesn’t need to be costly. Although testing water for Legionella might be an appropriate validation method for some facilities, Standard 188 will not require it.

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May 2012

ASHRAE Journal

99
ASHRAE Journal - May 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - May 2012
