AWWA JAW59346

Hospitals are often required to disinfect their water systems to protect individuals from contracting hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease. The authors of this article recently studied one Pennsylvania hospital that adopted a chlorine dioxide (ClO2) system to disinfect its water supply across the 23 buildings that comprise the hospital complex. After reviewing the various disinfection alternatives, ClO2 was considered a cost-effective approach given that ClO2 generators could treat the 23 buildings from one central location. Complete eradication (0% positivity) of Legionella was achieved after 1.75 years, and no cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported during this time. The use of ClO2 to treat a hospital's water supply is not common in the United States; however, it has been used in European hospitals. After the ClO2 system was installed in 2002, the authors studied the system to evaluate its efficacy in controlling Legionella, determine whether an effective residual could be maintained throughout the distribution system, provide data that other facilities could use, and assist the hospital with maximizing the system. Includes 30 references, figures.