Kansas - Legionella Prevention and Costs of Legionnaires Outbreaks

June 20, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued an emergency order requiring disinfection of drinking water at a nursing home and assisted living facility in Humboldt, Kansas. The city order requires the city to install a disinfection treatment system at the facility and implement other mitigation measures as needed to protect against the risk of Legionella bacteria in the facility's water supply. The EPA said there has been an ongoing problem with Legionella bacteria in its water system for several years that has led to illnesses and deaths. The EPA said in the news release that the Nebraska Departments of Environment and Energy and Health and Human Services have been working with the facility since the fall of 2022 on mitigation issues, including ongoing monitoring; flushing; point-of-use filtration devices; increased water temperature; the use of bottled water; and temporary shock chlorination, a drinking water treatment used for bacterial contamination. However, those mitigation efforts have not been successful, requiring the EPA to issue the immediate order. (Source)