K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Reopened Schools Find Health Risks in Water After Covid-19 Lockdowns

August 27, 2020 - from New York Times:

"The new coronavirus is not the only illness that teachers, students, parents and staff will have to worry about as some schools attempt to reopen this fall. Legionella could lurk in the water supplies of school buildings, and some measures to keep people in schools safe from coronavirus may even increase risks from deadly illnesses caused by the bacteria."

"Last week in Ohio, officials found Legionella at five schools in an assortment of towns. On Friday, a district in Pennsylvania also announced it had found Legionella at four of its schools."

"Legionella, usually Legionella pneumophila, is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, a respiratory condition. It can form in stagnant water and then disperse through the air and be inhaled when, for example, a shower or tap is turned on. It can be fatal in one in 10 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although young children are less at risk of Legionnaires’, older students, adults and people with compromised immune systems are vulnerable."

"To protect against the spread of coronavirus, many school buildings have been unoccupied since March. Their bathrooms, cafeterias and sports facilities have gone unused. While low occupancy in schools is typical during summer breaks, many are open for summer school and other activities. Experts worry that water was left to stagnate in plumbing during lockdown, and that schools don’t have plans or effective guidance from health authorities for dealing with the effects of prolonged shutdowns."

"Precautions that schools may take to limit coronavirus infection risk could also add to Legionella concerns. For instance, some schools are turning off drinking fountains to prevent oral spread of the virus, or closing off every other sink to ensure social distancing. Some sports facilities also remain closed because of the risk to student athletes and coaches."

"But stagnant water in unused drinking fountains or sink plumbing could be a good reservoir in which the bacteria could grow. And shower heads like those found in locker rooms are common places for Legionella to proliferate. Facilities managers will need to be on guard for the bacteria in school athletics complexes if sports start again next spring. And Dr. Whelton said that many people responsible for managing buildings’ water systems 'had no idea you can acquire Legionella from showers and toilets.'"

"The only way to tell if the flushing is effective is to test the water. Flushing once does not get rid of Legionella if it is present. Milton Union High School in Ohio began testing their water in late July. They found that after 72 hours the chlorine level had dropped to zero. They flushed again and when they tested 24 hours later it was back again to zero. They tested the water and found Legionella."

As lockdowns lift, new hazards lurk in the water - PLEASE FORWARD TO THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBEL FOR BUILDING OPENING as the lockdowns ease

April 28, 2020 - from Nature:

"Stagnant water in unused buildings can harbour infectious bacteria and heavy metals. Scientists point out that guidance on reopening is limited. "

"As some regions prepare to lift the lockdowns in response to COVID-19, scientists who study water are worried about the potential for a secondary health crisis waiting in the dormant plumbing of offices, gyms, restaurants and schools."

"Because of the threats from heavy metals leaching out of pipes, and bacteria and parasites growing in stagnant water, researchers are studying locked-down water systems in an attempt to understand how people can safely reoccupy buildings."

"The longer a building sits unused, the more potential there is for harm. That’s because the length of time between water treatment and use is one of the key factors determining bacterial regrowth.""One of the main concerns is Legionella, a genus of bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease."

" The most common advice after a period of dormancy is to run all taps at full flow for a set amount of time — usually 5 or 10 minutes — to flush the stagnant water from the pipes."

"And the complications don’t stop there. For large complexes such as universities, there might not be enough staff to routinely flush every building. Already-struggling small businesses could baulk at the increased water bills that would result from proper flushing. And without sufficient masks and respirators, staff carrying out flushing operations are at risk of inhaling Legionella and other pathogens that might be growing in the pipes."

"The most important things that building owners and managers can do right now" "are to flush taps regularly, carry out low-cost testing and start to build up a water-management plan."