HydroChem have been carrying out Legionella testing at facilities throughout aged care facilities in New South Wales for the past few years.

Some of these tests have brought to light a very worrying result. Results showed that systems treated by Ultraviolet Disinfection Systems were showing a positive Legionella rate of up to 50% in the annual summer periods.

The downsides for businesses with Legionella Positive results are:

• Risk to public health

• Administrative reactive time

• Costs associated with disinfection

• Costs associated with follow up testing

• Potential bad publicity

• Continual need for hyper-chlorination of pipe work risking corrosion

A solution was needed to reduce the risk dramatically but still be within the capital budget restraints.

HydroChem phased in Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) Disinfection systems, replacing the ineffective UV Systems.

We have now replaced all UV systems with ORP and the results prove themselves. We have reduced the risk and reactive costs in all areas.

Below we have graphed 7 sites that were converted to ORP Disinfection from UV. The data is only early from the ORP equipment but already we have seen a significant decrease in positive results through the summer period.