scholarly journals Colonization of Legionella spp. in Hot and Cold Water Networks of Residential Buildings in Pisa District (Tuscany, Italy): A Five-Years Survey

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Totaro ◽  
Anna Laura Costa ◽  
Lorenzo Frendo ◽  
Erica De Vita ◽  
Serena Giorgi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cold Water ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Coliform Bacteria ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Water Networks ◽  
Cold Water Temperature ◽  
Solar Thermal System

Literature data on Legionella spp. presence in houses water networks have been increasing during the last years, but epidemiological reports assert a high incidence of Legionnaires’ disease infection in Italy. Updating our previously published data, we report a five-year survey on Legionella spp. colonization in 235 buildings with an independent hot water production (IB); 82 buildings with a central hot water production (CB); and 58 buildings with a solar thermal system for hot water production (TB). In all the 375 buildings Legionella spp. was researched in hot and cold water samples and microbiological potability standards of cold water were evaluated. Legionella spp. was detected in 27% of the water networks, mostly in CB and TB. We detected correlations between the presence of bacteria and some physical-chemical parameters (low chlorine level and optimal temperature for Legionella spp. growth). Cold water resulted free from microbiological hazards, except for coliform bacteria isolated in three separate cases, and Legionella spp., detected when cold water temperature was about 20°C. After a five-year survey we confirm the presence of a Legionnaires’ disease risk and the need of training programs for all the workers involved in residential water systems management.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Legionella spp. Colonization in Residential Buildings Having Solar Thermal System for Hot Water Production

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7050
Author(s):  
Michele Totaro ◽  
Anna Laura Costa ◽  
Lorenzo Frendo ◽  
Sara Profeti ◽  
Beatrice Casini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cold Water ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Systems Maintenance ◽  
Legionnaires Disease ◽  
Cold Water Temperature

Despite an increase of literature data on Legionella spp. presence in private water systems, epidemiological reports assert a continuing high incidence of Legionnaires’ disease infection in Italy. In this study, we report a survey on Legionella spp. colonization in 58 buildings with solar thermal systems for hot water production (TB). In all buildings, Legionella spp. presence was enumerated in hot and cold water samples. Microbiological potability standards of cold water were also evaluated. Legionella spp. was detected in 40% of the buildings. Moreover, we detected correlations between the count of Legionella spp. and the presence of the optimal temperature for the microorganism growth (less than 40 °C). Our results showed that cold water was free from microbiological hazards, but Legionella spp., was detected when the mean cold water temperature was 19.1 ± 2.2 °C. This may considered close to the suboptimal value for the Legionella growth (more then 20 °C). In conclusion, we observed the presence of a Legionnaires’ disease risk and the need of some strategies aimed to reduce it, such as the application of training programs for all the workers involved in water systems maintenance.

scholarly journals Presence of Legionella spp. in Hot Water Networks of Different Italian Residential Buildings: A Three-Year Survey

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Totaro ◽  
Paola Valentini ◽  
Anna Laura Costa ◽  
Lorenzo Frendo ◽  
Alessia Cappello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Legionella Pneumophila ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Water Networks ◽  
Legionella Species ◽  
Solar Thermal System ◽  
And Control

Although the European reports highlight an increase in community-acquired Legionnaires’ disease cases, the risk of Legionella spp. in private houses is underestimated. In Pisa (Italy) we performed a three-year survey on Legionella presence in 121 buildings with an independent hot water production (IB); 64 buildings with a central hot water production (CB); and 35 buildings with a solar thermal system for hot water production (TB). From all the 220 buildings Legionella spp. was researched in two hot water samples collected either at the recirculation point or at on the first floor and on the last floor, while the potable water quality was analyzed in three cold water samples collected at the inlet from the aqueduct network, at the exit from the autoclave, and at the most remove remote? tap. Legionella pneumophila sg1, Legionella pneumophila sg2-16 and not-pneumophila Legionella species were detected in 26% of the hot water networks, mostly in CB and TB. In these buildings we detected correlations between the presence of Legionella and the total chlorine concentration decrease or/and the increase of the temperature. Cold water resulted free from microbiological hazards, with the exception of Serratia liquefaciens and Enterobacter cloacae isolated at the exit from two different autoclaves. We observed an increase in total microbial counts at 22 and 37°C between the samples collected at the most remote taps compared to the ones collected at the inlet from the aqueduct. The study highlights a condition of potential risk for susceptible categories of population and supports the need for measures of risk assessment and control.

scholarly journals Non-residential water demand model validated with extensive measurements and surveys

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Pieterse-Quirijns ◽  
E. J. M. Blokker ◽  
E. van der Blom ◽  
J. H. G. Vreeburg
Keyword(s):  
Water Demand ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Water System ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Demand Model ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Peak Demand ◽  
Demand Equations ◽  
Proper Estimation

Abstract. Existing Dutch guidelines for the design of the drinking water and hot water system of non-residential buildings are based on outdated assumptions on peak water demand or on unfounded assumptions on hot water demand. They generally overestimate peak demand values required for the design of an efficient and reliable water system. Recently, a procedure was developed based on the end-use model SIMDEUM to derive design-demand-equations for peak demand values of both cold and hot water during various time steps for several types and sizes of non-residential buildings, viz. offices, hotels and nursing homes. In this paper, the design-demand-equations are validated with measurements of cold and hot water patterns on a per second base and with surveys. The good correlation between the simulated water demand patterns and the measured patterns indicates that the basis of the design-demand-equations, the SIMDEUM simulated standardised buildings, is solid. Surveys were held to investigate whether the construction of the standardised buildings based on the dominant variable corresponds with practice. Surveys show that it is difficult to find relationships to equip the standardised buildings with users and appliances. However, the validation proves that with a proper estimation of the number of users and appliances in only the dominant functional room of the standardised buildings, SIMDEUM renders a realistic cold and hot water diurnal demand pattern. Furthermore, the new design-demand-equations based on these standardised buildings give a better prediction of the measured peak values for cold water flow than the existing guidelines. Moreover, the new design-demand-equations can predict hot water use well. In this paper it is illustrated that the new design-demand-equations lead to reliable and improved designs of building installations and water heater capacity, resulting in more hygienic and economical installations.

scholarly journals Experimental determination of cold water temperature at the inlet to solar water storage tanks

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 ◽  
pp. 00106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslaw Zukowski
Keyword(s):  
Water Temperature ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Water System ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Cold Water Temperature

In the present work, results of experimental research on the mains water temperature supplying the Solar Domestic Hot Water system in the period from 2016 to 2018 are shown. The test object is located in the Hotel for Research Assistants on Bialystok University of Technology campus in Poland. One of the elements that will guarantee the correct energy balance of a hot tap-water system is the exact determination of the cold water temperature. The aim of this study is estimation of the temperature of the mains water flowing into the district heating substation and the water feeding directly the heat storage tanks. The research results showed that the average value of the cold water was 14.09°C during the 3 years of measurements. Moreover, it was shown that this temperature increased by about 0.4°C as a result of heat exchange with the air inside the substation. In the article, the author proposed modifications of coefficients in a commonly used model developed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory for determining the temperature of mains water in energy simulations. The proposed changes allow for accurate modelling of the cold water temperature under the climate conditions of north-eastern Poland.

scholarly journals Safety and Effectiveness of Monochloramine Treatment for Disinfecting Hospital Water Networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabella Marchesi ◽  
Stefania Paduano ◽  
Giuseppina Frezza ◽  
Luca Sircana ◽  
Elena Vecchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chlorine Dioxide ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Water Networks ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Routine Monitoring ◽  
Safe Strategy ◽  
Plumbing Systems ◽  
By Products

The formation of potentially carcinogenic N-nitrosamines, associated with monochloramine, requires further research due to the growing interest in using this biocide for the secondary disinfection of water in public and private buildings. The aim of our study was to evaluate the possible formation of N-nitrosamines and other toxic disinfection by-products (DBPs) in hospital hot water networks treated with monochloramine. The effectiveness of this biocide in controlling Legionella spp. contamination was also verified. For this purpose, four different monochloramine-treated networks, in terms of the duration of treatment and method of biocide injection, were investigated. Untreated hot water, municipal cold water and, limited to N-nitrosamines analysis, hot water treated with chlorine dioxide were analyzed for comparison. Legionella spp. contamination was successfully controlled without any formation of N-nitrosamines. No nitrification or formation of the regulated DBPs, such as chlorites and trihalomethanes, occurred in monochloramine-treated water networks. However, a stable formulation of hypochlorite, its frequent replacement with a fresh product, and the routine monitoring of free ammonia are recommended to ensure a proper disinfection. Our study confirms that monochloramine may be proposed as an effective and safe strategy for the continuous disinfection of building plumbing systems, preventing vulnerable individuals from being exposed to legionellae and dangerous DBPs.

scholarly journals Non-residential water demand model validated with extensive measurements

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 455-471
Author(s):  
E. J. Pieterse-Quirijns ◽  
E. J. M. Blokker ◽  
E. van der Blom ◽  
J. H. G. Vreeburg
Keyword(s):  
Water Demand ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Water System ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Demand Model ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Peak Demand ◽  
Design Rules ◽  
End Use

Abstract. Existing guidelines related to the water demand of non-residential buildings are outdated and do not cover hot water demand for the appropriate selection of hot water devices. Moreover, they generally overestimate peak demand values required for the design of an efficient and reliable water system. Recently, a procedure was developed based on the end-use model SIMDEUM® to derive design rules for peak demand values of both cold and hot water during various time steps for several types and sizes of non-residential buildings, i.e. offices, hotels and nursing homes. In this paper, the design rules are validated with measurements of cold and hot water patterns on a per second base. The good correlation between the simulated patterns and the measured patterns indicates that the basis of the design rules, the SIMDEUM simulated standardised buildings, is solid. Moreover, the SIMDEUM based rules give a better prediction of the measured peak values for cold water flow than the existing guidelines. Furthermore, the new design rules can predict hot water use well. In this paper it is illustrated that the new design rules lead to reliable and improved designs of building installations and water heater capacity, resulting in more hygienic and economical installations.

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