About Blog Locations Pricing Contact Us Water Conditioning Water Treament Water Management Water Analysis Stay Compliant With ASHRAE 188 Keep your building safe from Legionella and stay ahead of costly health risks, liability, and government mandates with our simple water safety program. Learn More About SafePath188 Keep Your Facility Safe From Waterborne Diseases At HOH, we're committed to promoting healthy and productive workspaces. SafePath188, our water safety management program, is a simple, smart way to meet industry standards for safe water and ensure full compliance with ASHRAE Standard 188. Starting with a water safety management plan, SafePath188 lets you: Effectively manage health risk and liability Eliminate compliance headaches Simplify planning and documentation Implement turnkey testing and treatment Get lightning-fast emergency response Take the guesswork and hassle out of pathogen control and compliance. Learn More About SafePath188 Consider Your Building'S Risk For Legionella The simple truth is that every building with indoor plumbing can harbor Legionella, and no amount of Legionella growth is safe. Still, there are certain factors that put you at greater risk including: Building size – 10 stories or higher Building features – centralized hot water, cooling towers, decorative fountains, hot tubs, ice machines, etc. Building occupants – age and health factors The Legionella bacteria exist naturally in freshwater sources such as lakes and streams, but once it enters a closed water system, it can grow and pose a serious threat to the people in your building. Cooling towers, expansion tanks, water filters, showerheads and hoses, pipes, valves, and fittings are common locations for Legionella growth. Understand Waterborne Pathogen Control According to the CDC, reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease have grown by more than five times since 2000. And while Legionella makes the headlines, there are other dangerous pathogens that can cause problems in your building's water systems. Pathogen control is important for compliance with industry standards, maintaining your organization's reputation, and avoiding possible litigation. (The average cost of a Legionella claim is $11MM). Most important though, is the prevention of an outbreak that could cause severe illness or even the loss of human life. Having a water safety management plan and the support of a trusted water treatment partner is critical to protect your facility and the people inside. We can help. Need to learn more? Subscribe to our blog and get insights from our water safety engineers on how to combat waterborne pathogens in your building. Subscribe Now What Causes Legionella To Grow? There are many variables that can cause it to grow inside of pipes and equipment, including fluctuations in pH levels, water temperature, stagnant zones, and insufficient levels of disinfectant. External factors such as water main breaks, construction in or around your building, or changes in the municipal water supply can cause Legionella growth as well. And where there's Legionella, there could be other waterborne pathogens present such as: Pseudomonas Acinetobacter Burkholderia Stenotrophomonas Any Building Can Be At Risk For Legionella, But Certain Facilities Need To Be Especially Vigilant. These types of facilities typically house more vulnerable populations, many with underlying conditions and compromised immune systems. Patients and residents in these facilities are at much higher risk when exposed to Legionella. The presence of the Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia and Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu. It's important to have a clear understanding of the risks of Legionella, what causes it to grow, and how to prevent it. Prevent Legionella And Waterborne Pathogens The prevention of waterborne pathogens, including Legionella, requires a water safety management plan for your facility, and a team in place to get the work done and keep the plan on track. While all water safety plans should be customized to the needs and challenges of individual facilities, most plans include these eight essential steps: Your facility team may be able to handle some of these tasks, but it's a good idea to work with a water treatment partner with extensive experience preventing, mitigating, and controlling waterborne pathogens. A water treatment expert can help you avoid commonly-made mistakes, uncover areas of your facility that need closer monitoring, and keep you compliant with industry standards for water safety. HOH Can Jumpstart Your Water Safety Strategy With Our 3-Step Approach: Contact Us CONDUCTING A SITE VISIT We walk you through a simple worksheet that gathers information about your facility's water systems. DELIVERING A WATER SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLAN We develop a custom plan that identifies areas of risk and provides steps to control them. These can address your entire facility or a specific system like a cooling tower. ASSIGNING A TEAM We help you put together a cross-functional team of people who are responsible for water safety. Get Support For All Your Water Systems HOH has a full suite of capabilities to make your water work for you. We'll walk you through every step of water safety management, help you select the right treatment program, provide data and reporting to give you high visibility into the health of your water and recirculating systems, and respond quickly in the case of an emergency. Download Our Capabilities Sheet Choose The Best Water Safety Program For Your Facility Many facilities are aware that they need to reduce the risk of Legionella in their building water systems but don't know where to start or how to get it done. We've helped thousands of building managers and operations teams keep their water safe and prevent problems for more than fifty years and counting. We can visit your facility and meet with your team to develop a customized water safety management plan that addresses all of your compliance, risk, and performance challenges. Schedule A Site Visit Where Water Works 500 S. Vermont Street, Palatine, IL 60067 Copyright © 2021 All Rights Reserved Schedule A Site Visit Contact Us Search Submit About Blog Locations Goodness of Water Feedback