Legionella Outbreak Prevention for Cooling Towers By Alex Rahimian-Pour, Michael Baker International, and Eric Anderson, GE Water and Process Technologies
Introduction Recent reports of Legionella outbreaks in the United States have raised awareness of the need to control microbiological growth in cooling towers. Judicious use of microbe inhibitors, onsite microbiological testing, and established operational control practices are required to maintain effective prevention. Water scarcity, environmental limitations on toxic chemicals, and health and safety concerns are driving
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the need for improved methods to control microbiological proliferation and prevent Legionella outbreaks in cooling tower systems. This article reviews the history and etiology of Legionella control practices. The report then presents a natural chemistry process that provides outstanding microbiological control, along with integrated testing methods, to reliably prevent Legionella outbreaks. The process involves significant water savings and maintains excellent
the Analyst Volume 23 Number 3