We start with a conversation to make sure we understand your facility-specific requirements and to answer your questions. We then send you a comprehensive written proposal including scope of services, pricing and timetable.
We charge for our time—for fieldwork, such as sampling, we charge on a per diem basis. Other work is billed on an hourly basis or, in some instances, for a fixed fee. If our field staff performs additional services for you while they are already at your facility, those services are included in the per diem charge and there is no additional service fee. For the cost of third-party services, such as laboratory fees, we charge the actual cost plus a 15% fee for administration and handling.
Yes, we take credit cards.
If your building is in NYC and you have a cooling tower, you must comply with both NYS and NYC cooling tower regulations. And if you add treatment chemicals to your building’s potable water, the treatment firm must have a license from NYC. If your facility is a healthcare facility, your buildings’ potable water systems are most likely covered by NYS Regulation – Protection Against Legionella, as well as CMS and TJC requirements.
If your building is in NYS but outside of NYC and you have a cooling tower, you must comply with both NYC and NYS cooling tower regulations. And if you treat your building’s potable water, the treatment firm must have a license from NYC. If your facility is a hospital or nursing home, your buildings’ potable water systems are most likely covered by NYS Regulation Protection Against Legionella, as well as CMS and TJC requirements. In NYS, the laboratory performing Legionella testing must be certified to perform Legionella culture analysis under the NYS Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP), using ISO 11731:2017(E) for both potable and cooling tower samples. In addition, the voluntary industry-consensus standard, ANSI/ASHRAE 188-2018: Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, applies to buildings’ potable systems, cooling towers and other non-potable systems in healthcare facilities and many non-healthcare buildings.
In NYS, the laboratory performing Legionella testing must be certified to perform Legionella culture analysis under the NYS Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP), using ISO 11731:2017(E) for both potable and cooling tower samples.
Results of Legionella testing can help validate a water management program—that is, give an indication of how well the program is controlling conditions that support Legionella growth, based on the number of measurable microorganisms in a water sample collected at a particular point in time. The results of Legionella tests do not necessarily correlate with health risk and are not predictive of disease.
Consistent with NYSDOH guidance, a typical sample set for each potable water system includes one sample of the water supplied to the building, collected at the intake; one sample from the hot water supply to the building; one sample from the hot water return to the water heater; ten samples from representative locations throughout the parts of the building served by the potable water system; and one sample from each ice machine.
In general, (in the absence of disease) potable water systems should be sampled and tested for Legionella quarterly. If results indicate colonization, more frequent testing may be needed until good microbial control is established.
In general, (in the absence of disease) cooling towers should be sampled and tested for Legionella quarterly during periods of operation. If results indicate colonization, more frequent testing may be needed until good microbial control is established.
Consistent with NYS and NYC requirements, a typical sample set for each cooling tower system includes at least one sample of the water for each cooling tower system.
We recommend making other measurements at the taps from which samples from potable water systems are collected for Legionella testing. These include pH, residual chlorine concentration, initial and final temperature, and time-to-temperature.
If your water supplier uses monochloramine as a secondary disinfectant in the distribution system, additional measurements and laboratory analyses should include free ammonia, nitrate and nitrite, as well as certain waterborne pathogens—e.g., Pseudomonas, Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM), Acinetobacter—that may proliferate as a result of treatment with monochloramine.
Carbon filters have been linked to Legionella contamination of ice and should never be used on ice machines.
If your water supplier uses monochloramine as a secondary disinfectant in the distribution system, additional measurements and laboratory analyses should include free ammonia, nitrate and nitrite, as well as certain waterborne pathogens—e.g., Pseudomonas, Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM), Acinetobacter—that may proliferate as a result of treatment with monochloramine.
Speak to one of our experts about the right services for your building water systems.