What do hotels need to know about Legionella bacteria?

Hotels prioritize the safety and comfort of their guests. A stressful stay at a hotel will cause the hotel a loss of revenue, reputation, and customer loyalty. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of a hotel’s water systems, travelers can be put at risk for contracting legionnaire’s disease during their stay. A hotel has several potential places Legionella bacteria can grow and spread including sinks, showerheads, water storage tanks, ice machines, pools and hot tubs, and even that decorative water fountain in the hotel lobby. In fact, every year hundreds of reported Legionnaires’ disease cases are associated hotel stay.

What is one fundamental way hotels can mitigate this risk?

 

The good news is that hotels can reduce growth of Legionella bacteria and other waterborne pathogens by implementing a Water Management Program. A complete Water Management Program will assess the water systems at the hotel and come up with site specific actions for maximizing water safety.
The proactive tactic of having a Water Management Program shows that the hotel owners are committed to a safe environment for both their guests and their employees. If a problem in the water piping system arises, this document serves as a clear guide to locate, assess, and respond to the problem quickly. Following this guide, a hotel can decrease risk of waterborne pathogens, increasing safety and reducing liability.

 

Barclay Water Management has experts ready to help hotels implement and keep Water Management Programs up to date, lessening the risk of guests and employees contracting Legionnaires’ disease. Our services include Legionella bacteria sampling, testing by a CDC ELITE certified laboratory, and result interpretation. Contact us here to discuss Barclay’s Legionella bacteria control methods.

 

Contact Barclay Water Management, Inc.