HOTEL CONTROLS LEGIONELLA WITHOUT EXPENSIVE RENOVATION

An airport hotel in the UK had Legionella problems and faced major renovation costs to get the outdated water system and pipework replaced. However, the hotel was able to avoid this with a DCW disinfection generator that solved the Legionella issues quickly and effectively.

When a Legionella risk assessment was carried out, the airport hotel, built in the 1960s, was found to have a high-risk rating. Sampling repeatedly showed Legionella bacteria in four guest bedrooms. This was due to the age of the hotel, the galvanised pipework, and ageing assets such as the cold-water storage tank. The hotel also had dead legs in the water system and issues with the temperature control.

Replacing the old pipework and getting the building fully refurbished and up to standard would have cost at least half a million pounds, and possibly as much as a million. What’s more, hotel rooms would have to be taken out of use while work was carried out.

The hotel needed a solution that would solve the Legionella problem within budget, reducing bacteria counts to acceptable levels. Additional lower-spend remedial work would also be undertaken.

A cost-efficient solution

After a detailed study of the site, the disinfection generator from Danish Clean Water (DCW) was chosen as the ideal solution to the hotel’s Legionella problems. However, there was no suitable place for the generator inside the medium-sized hotel. A small building in the car park was therefore converted into a secure storage area.

The generator was installed at a fraction of the cost of replacing all the pipework and with very little disruption to the day-to-day running of the hotel.

Legionella levels were reduced in all four rooms and after only three months fell to ‘Not Detected’, allowing the hotel to operate safely and in compliance with relevant guidelines.

High Legionella risk in hotels

Hotel and resort water systems are often complex and sometimes rooms stand empty for prolonged periods. These conditions can be ideal for the growth and proliferation of Legionella.

Key benefits of the generator:

  • Effectively removes Legionella in cold-water and hot-water systems
  • Is a cost-efficient alternative to expensive renovation
  • Uses a gentle and sustainable disinfectant
  • Is easy to handle with automated production and dosing