Bacteria in domestic water systems has been around since the beginning of plumbing. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic and surge in deaths linked to Legionnaires’ disease, the public health community is bringing plumbing hygiene into even sharper focus.
In fact, cases of Legionella in plumbing systems have skyrocketed in the past decade. Why? Outdated plumbing codes call for pipes that are much larger than they need to be to supply modern, low-flow fixtures. This results in lower water velocity, which makes it easier for bacteria to attach to the inside of pipe walls and begin to grow.Also, energy codes that require
