Legionella remediations are treatment processes for controlling Legionella in a building water system, generally deployed after routine Legionella testing returns shows systemic positivity or if a case of Legionnaire’s disease is traced back to the facility. Copper-silver ionization is a proven remedial water treatment method backed by hundreds of independent research studies. It’s simple, effective, and provides many advantages over other remedial treatments, including:
- Quick control of Legionella
- Less disruptive
- No plumbing damage or corrosion
- Achieves long-term control
- More cost-effective
- Retrofits into existing plumbing
- Provides more precise control
Quick control of Legionella
Copper-silver ionization is a highly effective and efficient method for controlling Legionella, typically achieving system-wide control within days. Other short course remediations include shock disinfections, such as hyperchlorination or superheat and flushes. These procedures may not always be effective and generally require multiple treatments to control Legionella. When they are effective, reduction of Legionella is temporary, and positivity typically returns within weeks. In fact, the superheat and flush method is no longer a recommended option for remediation due to failure to control Legionella.
Case studies
Less disruptive
Copper-silver ionization is less disruptive than superheat and flush and shock treatments with chlorine, monochloramine, or chlorine dioxide.
- Does not require water shutdowns or interruptions to operations.
- Less disruptive to building occupants. They can drink and use water normally without health and safety risks, like scalding or consuming carcinogens.
- Less labor-intensive for staff. They don’t need to notify occupants of shutdowns or develop and implement plans for alternative water options for occupants during shutdowns (e.g., water bottles).
No plumbing damage or corrosion
Copper-silver ionization does not damage plumbing and is non-corrosive. Shock treatments, such as hyperchlorination, significantly impact plumbing, corroding pipes, heaters, pumps, valves, and other plumbing equipment. Monochloramine treatments damage rubber fittings and are more corrosive to metals than copper-silver ionization. Long-term infrastructure impacts after shock treatments include equipment wearing out faster and requiring more maintenance and more frequent servicing. Equipment may fail prematurely, resulting in unplanned equipment replacement costs.
Achieves long-term control
Copper-silver ionization provides long-term control of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens. For temporary installations, it can provide up to three months of residual protection after the equipment is turned off. For permanent installations, it protects for as long as the system is operating and maintained.
More cost-effective
Copper-silver ionization is generally more cost-effective over the long term than shock treatments with chlorine or chlorine dioxide. Both methods typically require three or more treatments and can take months or years to gain control. Copper-silver ionization can achieve control in a few days and continuously treats the water if installed and maintained, so it does not require multiple treatments.
Superheat and flush require heating the hot water from around 120 degrees Fahrenheit to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in increased energy usage and costs. Copper-silver ionization is effective at all temperatures and does not require superheating the water, providing energy efficiency advantages over the superheat and flush method.
Retrofits into existing plumbing
Copper-silver ionization can be retrofitted into existing plumbing and mechanical rooms. For temporary installations or less complex plumbing systems, a portable unit can be used. The portable unit ports into the building’s existing plumbing infrastructure, so it requires little to no plumbing work. For permanent installations or more complex plumbing systems, a plumbed-in or racked unit is typically recommended. These units can be retrofitted into the existing plumbing infrastructure with minimal plumbing work. Point-of-use filters can be provided within 48 hours to provide immediate protection while the copper-silver ionization system is installed, and remediation efforts are underway.
Provides precise control
Copper-silver ionization provides real-time, precise control. It has a flow meter for proportional dosing, which allows for adjustments to ion output based on actual water usage. The system is also equipped with a remote monitoring system, which provides real-time data and rapid deployment of remote system adjustments based on current conditions.
Copper-silver ionization is a simple and effective solution for remedial water treatment. It provides quick control of Legionella, can be retrofitted into existing plumbing, is less disruptive, provides long-term control, does not damage plumbing, and provides more precise control. It is essential to choose a company with expertise, experience, and ASSE 12080 certification that can help with Legionella remediation.
Download: copper-silver ionization brochure
If you need Legionella remediation and are interested in learning more about the LiquiTech® Copper-Silver Ionization System, fill out the form below to download our product brochure to see how the technology works and view product specifications.
