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Copper-silver ionization helps hospital achieve and sustain non-detect Legionella levels for 30+ years
Challenge
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford opened in 1991 in Palo Alto, California. Today, it is ranked as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the United States.
Soon after the hospital opened its doors in 1991, Legionella was found in the building’s water system. A thorough investigation revealed the municipality to be the source of the contamination.
Facility staff worked with outside vendors to deploy several unsuccessful water treatment methods over a six-month period, including:
- Whole-system water flush
- Hyperchlorination
- Superheat and flush
- Continuous chlorination and a weekly superheat and flush
Solution
After a long unsuccessful effort to eliminate Legionella through conventional disinfection methods and two patient deaths linked to the contaminated water, the hospital partnered with LiquiTech to develop a solution that included:
- Immediate installation of a LiquiTech® Copper-Silver Ionization System to control Legionella and reduce the risk of future disease outbreaks.
- Several days of onsite system flushing, monitoring, and water testing until negative Legionella levels were achieved.
- Ongoing services to maintain and monitor equipment, provide predictive services, and collaborate on interventions.
Results
Hospital staff continue to partner with LiquiTech for ongoing service and has not detected Legionella in its water supply since their LiquiTech partnership began in 1991.
Highlights
Six months using conventional disinfection methods failed to control Legionella.
“I strongly advocate copper-silver technology for the effective and safe treatment against waterborne pathogens, specifically Legionella. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford has been waterborne pathogen-free since partnering with LiquiTech more than 30 years ago.”
-Michael Zader, Administration Director of General Services, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford
