Standing Water in Buildings

When COVID hit, businesses shut down and sent their employees to work from home. What they didn’t realize is that the stagnant water left in these buildings would become toxic when left in the pipes. In fact, the EPA and CDC issued a statement warning organizations against drinking water that had been left in vacant buildings. Unfortunately, vacant businesses aren’t the only places at risk for water issues. Homes that sit vacant are at risk for the same issues if left for along vacation or seasonal closures. This blog post will go over some of the risks for water in both businesses and homes.

Potential Risks

Stagnant water brings the potential for great risks, both to a person’s health and the water system as a whole. When water is left unused, studies show a deterioration in water quality, resulting in dangerously high bacterial levels (10 to the sixth power cfu/mL, gross contamination) in the building plumbing systems. This“stagnant organic material” and bacteria allow the growth of biofilm that harbors pathogens, including Legionella bacteria.

When water sits for long periods of time, damage to pipes, filters, faucets, appliances and drainage systems can occur. Water heaters may need to be replaced more often.Bugs or other parasites may infest the pipes and filtration systems. These and other problems can be created when water is left alone.

In addition to damage to the water system, stagnant water can contribute to health issues.Since people assume their water is safe, illnesses related to poor water quality can be difficult to catch and resolve. Health issues can include things like skin irritation, nasty pathogens, legionnaires disease, or even exacerbating autoimmune diseases.

We have tested the water in hundreds of homes and businesses as they developed and patented a new technology that allows onsite testing with the accuracy and precision of a certified lab.  

Solutions

Proactive testing along with smart treatment is the best solution to combat the risks from stagnant water. Since no options for testing this type of situation previously existed, we have developed our own program to test and evaluate plumbing systems. Using the data collected from the testing and evaluation, our team develops a tailored treatment plan for each building. Customers who received a treatment plan report a vast improvement for both their water system and their overall health. Click HERE (reviews)

We also offer an affordable Test Kit for rapid testing for Legionella risk and water safety at the faucet, drinking fountain, water heater, HVAC or other premise plumbing outlets. Click here to get water in your business tested.