CDC: Cooling Towers Can Be Legionella Vectors

The CDC notes that both open and closed-circuit cooling towers can release aerosolized water into the atmosphere. If Legionella is present, the aerosolized water can spread the bacteria over miles. 

The CDC has recommended Legionella control measures for cooling towers, including monitoring water sediment (turbidity), temperature, age, pH, and disinfectant residual. Yet, cooling towers are notoriously difficult applications for chlorine sensors and bromine sensors. Many systems operate at high cycles of concentration due to the conductivity and hardness found in water. To slow the formation of build-up, many operators use film-forming corrosion inhibitors. The resulting organic contaminants make it difficult to read chlorine levels in the system’s water. HSI’s chlorine sensor is ideally suited for these challenging applications. Not only can it measure chlorine OR bromine, but it is also self-cleaning the electrodes continuously. Its built-in conductivity sensor can eliminate several discrete sensors.

Halogen’s MP5™ is well suited for monitoring cooling towers in open- or closed-loop systems, as well as closed-circuit systems.  Just one MP5™ can monitor conductivity, pH, temperature, ORP, and free chlorine. Because the MP5™ is unaffected by turbidity, flow, or pressure, it can be placed inside a closed loop, in a dead leg, or near an intake or discharge valve; constantly monitoring the parameters that could indicate Legionella growth.

For more details on Halogen MP5™ Potable Water Chlorine Monitor Solutions for Cooling Towers, see the solutions page.