WATER TREATMENT, DRAINAGE & PIPED SERVICES


Water treatment: Getting temperature monitoring right


In August, New York lawmakers started the process of increasing cooling tower inspections after two Legionnaires’ outbreaks in the last two years. For some, the outbreaks were deadly. They should never be. Legionnaires’ disease is preventable; organisations just need the right approach and the correct tools. Jason Webb, managing director of Electronic Temperature Instruments explains


W


hen it comes to Legionella, standard chemistry discussions must involve


temperature. Legionella can proliferate between 20°C and 45°C, with growth slowing or stopping outside that range, which is why the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance states that cold water should be stored below 20°C, hot water generated at 60°C or above, and distributed at no less than 50°C at the point of use, rising to 55°C in healthcare settings.


Despite being a fundamental cause of outbreaks, outdated methods and the wrong technology can lead to mistakes with water temperature monitoring. Checks need to be treated as an ongoing discipline with consistent technique and the right probe for the right kind of job.


Reading the trends


Discipline must start with understanding what a system is actually doing over time, rather than reviewing what a single reading shows on the day. Inconsistent monitoring techniques can lead to a lack of traceable, well- documented data, because a single


reading, however accurate, is only ever a snapshot.


That data allows facilities teams to spot and


correct problems early before they become serious, and it gives them a defensible audit trail to demonstrate due diligence if a system comes under scrutiny. Moving from analogue to digitally logged checks is one of the most valuable steps an organisation can take. Bluetooth-enabled thermometers, paired with a digital logging platform, offer a practical way to achieve this. Each reading is automatically time-stamped and uploaded to a secure archive, creating a verifiable record that checks have been completed accurately and on time. This is especially important for timed checks, such as confirming that running water falls below 20°C within two minutes or rises above 50°C within one minute.


Where monitoring goes wrong


To monitor trends correctly, a good technique should set the foundation, and this is where many organisations still fall short. A system that passes inspection on the day it is tested may have drifted in and out of the safe range between visits, particularly if the occupancy or seasonal demands of a building have fluctuated.


Another culprit is inconsistency. For example, brief surface readings taken with an infrared thermometer are a common source of error, since the low emissivity of the metallic surfaces typical of water storage units makes them


Why You Should Consider Prefabricated Ventilation Solutions For Your Next Project F


A popular solution that is being carried out by businesses is offsite construction. This modern method of building allows aspects of the building process to be carried out in a controlled secondary facility instead of the primary site. With products delivered fully constructed when needed, site efficiency can be maximised, allowing workers to focus on other areas of the build. As many people in the industry are aware, offsite construction ultimately helps to enhance safety and efficiency, helping ensure tight deadlines are met and budgets adhered to. Thanks to the acceleration in offsite construction, it’s safe to say that it offers a modern solution to age- old problems. As a result, it is to no surprise that as more developers embrace this change, businesses need to move to lend a helping hand.


or many years, it has been more common than not for development sites to have a disjointed ordering process for fans and associated products. This means that different parts of a ventilation system would be ordered and delivered from different suppliers, often causing site delays due to incompatible components arriving on site.


And this isn’t the only issue with traditional methods. Alongside this, contained storage solutions can be hard to come by on an active construction site, especially in cities and sites with tight footprints. The outcome of this can be that fans and equipment are left for a substantial period of time in unsuitable environments. From inviting damp, mould, or water damage through to components being lost or stolen, the resulting complications can be very costly. Above all, safety concerns can arise when moving large pieces of industrial equipment on site. If an injury were to occur due to the fan, or associated system component, being mishandled or dropped, developers may face a substantial liability issue that could have been avoided. Ensuring site safety and the welfare of construction personnel is a top priority, so ensuring this is vital.


The rise of offsite construction


As the world continues to develop urban areas and other locations where space may be limited, modern methods of construction are being refined and implemented to tackle these challenges.


Accelerating the adoption of prefabricated solutions


It is clear that as a whole, the industry is embracing changes such as the implementation of offsite construction and ultimately reaping the benefits that it has to offer such as enhanced safety and site efficiency. Prefabs, short for Prefabricated Solutions, offer a game-changing approach to simplify and


streamline your HVAC projects. Fans and ancillaries, including acoustic equipment, mounts, panels, flexible connections, fan controls, and more, can all be assembled offsite and delivered as a compliant assembly within a frame. This ready-to-crane-lift package ensures a quick, efficient and safe installation process.


The overall goal at Elta is to be an extension of a contractor’s team, working closely through the design and manufacture process, so helping deploy modern methods of construction like prefabricated ventilation solutions is the right step forward.


For more information about Elta, please visit our website. https://eltauk.com/prefabricated-solutions/ 20 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2026 Read the latest at: www.bsee.co.uk


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