COVID-19 Updates News Business Health & Safety
Study looks at water quality in shut-down buildings

West Lafayette, IN – A study highlights the potential for widespread waterborne disease in low-occupancy buildings and concerns that COVID-19 stay-at-home orders may increase the chance of harmful water exposure when people return.

The study, out of Purdue University, was undertaken to help public health officials, building owners and water utilities better understand building water quality due to low or no occupancy in buildings following concerns raised of potential building water safety issues caused by the pandemic.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Canada, England, and those in Europe have warned of potential building water safety issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health officials, building owners, utilities, and other entities are rapidly developing guidance on potentially serious chemical and microbiological health concerns for occupants.

The paper summarizes peer-reviewed, government, industry and non-profit literature relating to the impact of water stagnation in plumbing systems and decontamination practices on water quality and health. It provides a primer of large building plumbing preventive and remedial strategies to help develop recommissioning guidance.

Read an overview of the “Considerations for Large Building Water Quality after Extended Stagnation.”

Download a preliminary copy of the study: “Considerations for Large Building Water Quality after Extended Stagnation.”

To listen to a complimentary webinar on this topic by Jason Jackson of Fleming College, visit the Canadian Water Quality Association’s events page.