In the fall of 2017, a Legionnaire’s disease outbreak spread through Los Angeles, affecting many people who had visited Disneyland theme park in nearby Anaheim, California. Twenty-two people were affected, and one person died from the disease. Later, the Orange County Health Department determined that it was probable that one of the cooling towers at Disneyland could have been the source of the deadly outbreak.
This deadly outbreak underscores the importance of maintaining cooling towers and ensuring that they are free from Legionella bacteria, which cause Legionnaires’ disease. Additionally, regular cleaning of the cooling tower is crucial for both safety and efficiency.
What Is Legionella?
To understand why industrial facilities need to prevent Legionella from forming within cooling towers, it is essential first to understand what Legionella is. The Legionella bacteria are the cause of Legionnaires’ disease, a lung disease that can be deadly, as it was in the California outbreak. This disease is similar to a severe form of pneumonia, and people become infected when they breathe in bacteria present in small water droplets — these contaminated droplets can be so small that people may not see them.
Legionella bacteria thrive in temperatures commonly found in cooling towers, making them easily susceptible to contamination. Regular cooling tower cleaning can eliminate this bacteria and the health risks it carries.
How Cooling Towers Become a Breeding Ground
In industrial settings, cooling towers are used to cool hot water. In a sense, the water acts as a carrier, discharging hot water and bringing in cool water to the system through evaporative processes. The water is then ready to absorb more heat. HVAC and industrial systems become ideal breeding grounds for bacteria like Legionella due to the stagnant, moist conditions and temperatures that occur in cooling systems.
In addition to bacteria like Legionella, other bacteria can grow in the cooling towers. Biofilm scale and other debris can also accumulate, impacting operations and potentially contaminating the air with steam released from the system.
While the conditions are ripe for bacteria and other contaminants to grow and accumulate in a cooling tower, regular cleaning and maintenance of the cooling tower should prevent any harmful buildup. In circumstances where poor maintenance practices prevail, buildup can be hazardous.
Benefits of Regular Cooling Tower Cleaning
Regular cooling tower cleaning will prevent the growth of Legionella and other dangerous bacteria, which is a significant public health concern. However, that is not the only benefit that industrial facilities with cooling towers will see from cooling tower cleaning.
Not only will regular cleaning prevent the buildup of Legionella, biofilm, scale, and other microbial growth, but the accumulation of this gunk will also reduce the operational functionality of the cooling tower. This happens because the build-up essentially acts as an insulator, preventing the cooling tower from exchanging heat properly. In turn, heat is not transferred as well, and operational efficiency decreases. With regular cleaning, this build-up isn’t present, allowing water to flow more efficiently. As a result, less energy is consumed in cooling the water.
Another benefit of regular cooling tower cleaning is that the equipment lasts longer. Facilities will likely not experience the corrosion that can occur if their equipment is not properly maintained. This reduces long-term costs, minimizes unplanned downtime, and ensures smooth operation.
Regulatory Concerns and Liability
Because cooling towers can pose risks to the community at large, in addition to within the facility, they are subject to several regulations imposed by governing bodies, as well as industry standards. Industrial facilities with cooling towers should conduct documented, regular inspections and cooling tower cleanings to maintain compliance.
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ANSI/ASHRAE 188 Compliance
“ANSI/ASHRAE 188-2021 Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems” refers to the minimum standard set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This standard is commonly used in both industrial settings and large facilities where the water system can impact public health, such as theme parks, hospitals, hotels, and other similar locations. ANSI refers to the American National Standards Institute.
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OSHA and CDC Requirements
Both OSHA and the CDC have requirements that must be followed in order to maintain compliance. They also serve as secondary regulatory bodies to enforce compliance with ANSI/ASHRAE 188-2021.
Best Practices for Effective Cleaning
Effective cleaning of cooling towers should be scheduled. No one likes unplanned downtime as it wreaks havoc on systems, operations, equipment, employees, and customers. By maintaining a regular cooling tower cleaning schedule that occurs seasonally and after any shutdowns (whether scheduled or unplanned), facilities with cooling towers can stay on top of maintenance and cleaning to achieve best practice performance.
There are various methods for effective cooling tower cleaning, including mechanical cleaning and chemical cleaning. Facilities sometimes engage in both, but ultimately, an inspection should determine which course of action is best for the facility.
Cooling tower cleaning should only be conducted by trained, experienced professionals with proper PPE and safety measures in place. Professionals should understand how the equipment functions as well as all the associated risks. They also need to be aware of the cleaning standards set by ANSI/ASHRAE 188-2021, OSHA, and the CDC, as well as any local or federal environmental regulations related to disposing of chemical waste.
Finally, all cooling tower cleaning should be conducted with proper documentation to ensure the facility demonstrates compliance during planned or unplanned inspections by regulatory bodies.
Schedule Cooling Tower Cleaning
Cleaning a cooling tower is no small undertaking. There are considerable safety risks and hazards associated with conducting this important task. Industrial facilities should adopt best practices when it comes to cooling tower cleaning, which involves collaborating with a professionally trained team to handle the job if necessary. Additionally, the team performing the cleaning must adequately document the pre- and post-inspection, as well as the cleaning process, and make it available to the facility so that they may stay in compliance with regulatory requirements.
Environmental Remedies is well-versed in conducting cooling tower cleaning and can make sure your towers are free of harmful bacteria and other contaminants. If you’re interested in learning how we can help your facility, contact us today for a quote!