Considerations for large building water quality after extended stagnation. Issue 4 (6th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Proctor, Caitlin R.; Rhoads, William J.; Keane, Tim; Salehi, Maryam; Hamilton, Kerry; Pieper, Kelsey J.; Cwiertny, David M.; Prévost, Michele; Whelton, Andrew J.
• Is Part Of: AWWA water science. Volume 2:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-08-06
• Subjects: advisory -- building -- coronavirus -- COVID‐19 -- customer -- disaster -- disinfection -- flushing -- health risk -- plumbing -- recommissioning -- SARS -- SARS‐CoV‐2 -- stagnation -- water quality; Water -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Water-supply engineering -- Periodicals; Water -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Water -- Purification -- Periodicals; Water-supply engineering; Water -- Social aspects; Water -- Analysis; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 628.162
• DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1186
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2577-8161

Abstract

Abstract: The unprecedented number of building closures related to the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic is concerning because water stagnation will occur in many buildings that do not have water management plans in place. Stagnant water can have chemical and microbiological contaminants that pose potential health risks to occupants. Health officials, building owners, utilities, and other entities are rapidly developing guidance to address this issue, but the scope, applicability, and details included in the guidance vary widely. To provide a primer of large building water system preventative and remedial strategies, peer‐reviewed, government, industry, and nonprofit literature relevant to water stagnation and decontamination practices for plumbing was synthesized. Preventative practices to help avoid the need for recommissioning (e.g., routine flushing) and specific actions, challenges, and limitations associated with recommissioning were identified and characterized. Considerations for worker and occupant safety were also indicated. The intended audience of this work includes organizations developing guidance.