Office buildings with infrequent water use may have poor water quality
Study suggests buildings with 'green' plumbing should test drinking water
for safety
Date:
March 9, 2022
Source:
PLOS
Summary:
Low-consumption office buildings with infrequent water use could
have chemical and microbiological safety issues, according to a new
study. The research could have implications for office buildings
used less frequently during pandemic lockdowns, and suggests that
regular water testing in commercial buildings may be needed.
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Low-consumption office buildings with infrequent water use could
have chemical and microbiological safety issues, according to a study
published in PLOS Water by Andrew Whelton at Purdue University, Indiana,
United States, and colleagues.
The research could have implications for office buildings used less
frequently during pandemic lockdowns, and suggests that regular water
testing in commercial buildings may be needed.
==========================================================================
Many office buildings have decreased occupancy during weekends and
holidays - - and recently, during pandemic lockdowns -- increasing
water stagnation in plumbing. Green buildings are designed to reduce
water consumption using efficient fixtures and alternative water
supplies. However, due to the combination of lower building water use
and low occupancy periods, the safety of water from green buildings is
unknown. To better understand chemical and microbiological quality in
a green commercial office building plumbing after weekend stagnation, researchers sampled water from a ten-year-old, three story, LEED-certified office building in Indiana between January and February 2020.
Samples from all water sources in the building were tested for pH,
metals, ions, as well as bacterial strains of Legionella.
Researchers found that copper and lead levels increased over the
weekend, and that Legionella counts were highest at a fixture which had
no use recorded during sampling. Additionally, the concentration of the disinfectant chlorine decreased over the weekend. The study had several limitations as it relied on self-reported data for measurements of fixture
use and may have misreported usage frequency at some locations. Future
studies are needed to further analyze how water-saving appliances may
impact water quality.
According to the authors, "To prepare plumbing to code, water chemical
and microbiological testing is not required or recommended. The green
office building studied had many features that are increasingly common
in new buildings, including low-flow faucets, automatic faucets, and alternative piping systems for major water uses like toilet flushing and irrigation. These design elements can change water temperature profiles
and significantly reduce the amount of water used compared to traditional office buildings, raising concerns for water quality degradation."
The authors add: "The first people in the office on a Monday morning may,
in fact, be using contaminated drinking water. To better understand if
the water we are using is safe, much more water testing at the faucet
must be conducted.
Plumbing design standards and codes must also be revised."
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by PLOS. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Elizabeth Montagnino, Caitlin R. Proctor, Kyungyeon Ra, Christian
Ley,
Yoorae Noh, Katie Vigil, Tiong Gim Aw, Sruthi Dasika, Andrew
J. Whelton.
Over the weekend: Water stagnation and contaminant exceedances in
a green office building. PLOS Water, 2022; 1 (3): e0000006 DOI:
10.1371/ journal.pwat.0000006 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220309140841.htm
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