Legionella Testing

MTA’s water-testing protocol is designed to help meet your environmental regulatory requirements. We offer our customers accurate, legally defensible analytical data supported by our fully accredited laboratory. MTA’s laboratory partner provides comprehensive water microbiological analysis for the detection of waterborne pathogens. Our services include cultures for the detection of Legionella species, hospital waterborne pathogens such as Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium and Acinetobacter, Heterotrophic Plate Count, and E. coli, fecal coliforms and Enterococcus, sulfate reducing bacteria, nitrifying bacteria and iron bacteria. MTA’s experienced staff can assist in developing a comprehensive water-testing program. MTA’s laboratory is a CDC Elite certified laboratory and an environmental microbiology accredited laboratory by AIHA.

ASHRAE Standard 188 applies to water systems in human-occupied buildings — new and existing. Single-family residential homes are exempt. To comply with the standard, facility owners and managers will be required to do an annual survey of their buildings, on a building-by-building basis, to determine risk characterization. If a building possesses one or more of the risk characteristics set out in the standard, it will be necessary to develop a risk management plan for Legionella control. This includes conducting an evaluation using Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) methodology, documenting water system operation and maintenance, and verifying monitoring and control. ASHRAE Standard 188 also requires validating that Legionella is under control in all water systems. These include potable and utility water systems for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing and water emitted from plumbing fixtures, cooling towers, boilers, and other HVAC-related equipment.

Annual Survey to Determine Risk Characteristics

There are specific building characteristics that allow Legionella to colonize building water systems. Facilities at high risk for Legionella include healthcare facilities like hospitals and nursing homes. An increasing number of cases have been reported from assisted-living and long-term care facilities. Under the new standard, facility managers are charged with conducting an annual survey to determine what risk is present in their buildings. Specific risk factors called out in the standard are:

  • multiple housing units with one or more centralized water heaters
  • units with more than 10 stories (including levels below grade)
  • cooling tower or evaporative condenser
  • one or more whirlpools or spas within or adjacent to building
  • devices that release aerosols (e.g., ornamental fountains, misters, air washers or humidifiers)
  • incoming potable water containing less than 0.5 ppm residual halogen such as chlorine
  • inpatient healthcare facility
  • occupants primarily older than age 65
  • occupants receiving chemotherapy for cancer or bone marrow transplantation


In many cases, the benefits of routine Legionella testing far outweighs the potential health and legal risks involved from not carrying out testing. Regular testing for Legionella can help prevent potential and sometimes fatal outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease. Furthermore, routine Legionella testing helps to safeguard the health and well being of building occupants, tenants, and visitors to any facility. With our certified laboratory test results, we provide documented historical data to support and help protect building owners and managers against potential litigation in the event of an outbreak. The periodic monitoring for Legionella bacteria will supplement any comprehensive maintenance program and will serve to demonstrate a clear action of due diligence while ensuring the program is working effectively.

 

For more detailed information please fill out our quick questionnaire, or call our toll-free number, and one of our specialists will be pleased to answer your questions.

(877) 569-8886

 

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