Legionnaires’ Disease & what you can do to prevent it

Not that we don’t have enough on our minds with diseases these days, but Legionnaires’ Disease seems to be on the rise again as well. In 2018, there was an outbreak in Surrey, BC and in 2019 in Moncton, New Brunswick. In New Westminster, British Columbia, several people got Legionella during the summer of 2020 and some health experts are worried that prior COVID-19 infection could make a person more susceptible to Legionella.

Legionella bacteria are ubiquitous in water and soil, and multiply quickly in warm water (20-50?C). If you have a water cistern to store your household water in – as common in rural areas – and especially if the cistern is located in a sunny area, bacteria and algae can grow rapidly.

Jenni Green and Kalpna Solanki wrote a very informative article called “Preventing Legionnaires’ Disease” in June of 2021. Please read their full article published in Water Canada.

In the meantime, make sure your plumbing system is well maintained and your storage cistern cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis -we recommend at least once per year.