Your Water, Our Priority
Evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators are used for cooling (refrigeration, air conditioning or energy generation) and are used in industry, the energy sector, retail, catering, hotels and office buildings. Such systems usually lead to the formation of aerosols through atomization and evaporation, which can be dispersed for miles by the wind.
Regular testing of the process water from these systems for bacterial contamination is therefore mandatory, as otherwise there is a risk that harmful bacteria could be widely distributed and cause serious infections.
Testing the water for bacterial contamination in evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators plays a central role in their safety and efficiency. Since the “42nd Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act” (42nd BImSchV; based on the VDI 2047 guideline) came into force on August 19, 2017, regular microbiological monitoring of these systems by a laboratory accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 has been required by law in Germany. The aim of the regulation is to prevent the spread of legionella and other harmful microorganisms.
As an operator, play it safe and have your system checked by our specialist staff in accordance with the 42nd BImSchV.
Services
Cooling Tower Basic
Legionella spp, colony count 22°C, colony count 36°C
Cooling Tower Basic
This water analysis includes testing the process water of evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators for harmful germs. The 42nd BImSchV stipulates testing for Legionella and the bacterial count (22 and 36°C).
The test for legionella is extremely important, as they can multiply to dangerous concentrations in warm water and pose a health risk through inhalation if they evaporate in aerosols. In addition, the general bacterial load is determined, which multiplies at two different temperatures.
The analysis contains the following parameters:
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Legionella spp.
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Colony count 22°C
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Colony count 36°C
Product description
Cooling Tower Plus
Legionella spp, colony count 22°C, colony count 36°C, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Cooling Tower Plus
In addition to the Cooling Tower Basic package, this water analysis includes testing the process water for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (as recommended in the 42nd BImSchV).
Pseudomonas are bacteria that are known to cause serious infections and form biofilms. Biofilms provide an ideal breeding ground for other bacteria, such as Legionella, and encourage them to multiply to harmful concentrations.
It is therefore advisable to test the process water from evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in addition to Legionella and the colony count (22 and 36°C)
The analysis contains the following parameters:
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Legionella spp.
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Colony count 22°C
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Colony count 36°C
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Product description
Do you have any questions? Do you need a different analysis or more analysis parameters?
Contact us to discuss your requirements.
FAQ
What are Legionella and why are they dangerous for us?
Legionella are bacteria that can be found in both natural and artificial water sources, such as our water pipes. Legionella pneumophila is the best known species which is most commonly associated with disease. Legionella multiply to dangerous levels in warm, stagnant water at temperatures between 25 and 45 °C. They find optimal conditions in systems such as water pipes, hot water storage tanks, air conditioning systems and whirlpools, especially if the water is not sufficiently heated or kept in motion.
An infection with Legionella does not occur by drinking water, but by inhaling tiny water droplets (aerosols) contaminated with bacteria. Such droplets are produced, for example, when showering, in air conditioning systems or in whirlpools. When inhaled, Legionella bacteria enter the lungs and can cause dangerous infections. The bacteria can cause serious respiratory diseases, in particular Legionnaires' disease - a severe form of pneumonia - and Pontiac fever, which has more flu-like symptoms. People with a weakened immune system, older people and smokers are particularly at risk.
When is it worth checking your tap water?
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People who belong to a risk group or sick people (immunocompromised persons, pregnant women, infants or small children) live in your house or household.
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The flat or buldingbis not in constant use and therefore the water remains in the pipes for a long time (stagnation in the pipes leads to good conditions for bacterial growth).
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You drink your tap water regularly and use it for showering.
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You use the tap water for an in-house water dispenser.
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The tap water is used to prepare baby food.
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The water smells or tastes strange.
Why is it important to check cooling towers, recooling plants and evaporative cooling systems for Legionella?
It is important to check cooling towers, recooling plants and evaporative cooling systems for Legionella for several reasons:
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Health risk: Legionella is a pathogenic bacteria that can cause legionellosis, a serious respiratory infection that can be fatal in the worst cases.
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Aerosol dispersion: These systems can disperse contaminated aerosols over long distances (up to 10 km), posing a significant health risk to residents and employees.
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Ideal growth conditions: With their warm water (20-50°C), cooling towers and similar systems provide ideal conditions for Legionella to multiply.
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Legal requirements: In Germany, there are strict guidelines (VDI 2047 sheets 2 and 3, 42nd BImSchV) for the operation of such systems, which stipulate regular inspections.
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Prevention of outbreaks: In the past, there have been several outbreaks of legionellosis that could be traced back to contaminated cooling systems - for example in Ulm and Neu-Ulm (Germany, 2009/2010), Warstein (Germany, 2013), New York (USA, ) Bremen (Germany, 2015/2016) or Rzeszow (Poland, 2023).
Regular inspections are therefore crucial to ensure the safety of the public and to comply with legal requirements.
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