Legionella Concerns at Nursing Home Cause EPA to Issue Emergency Order on Drinking Water Safety

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 issued an emergency order under the Safe Drinking Water Act to the City of Humboldt, Nebraska, for drinking water at a nursing home and assisted living facility. This was the result of an ongoing Legionella outbreak in the facility’s water system that has caused related illnesses and fatalities.

According to the agency:

Legionella bacteria can cause sickness and death through two forms of Legionellosis, Pontiac fever and the more severe Legionnaires’ disease, which is a potentially fatal illness involving pneumonia. People and patients in an assisted living facility are at an increased risk for contracting Legionellosis, and also at an increased risk of higher morbidity once contracted.

“In this case, EPA reports that Legionella bacteria has not been found in Humboldt’s Public Water System outside of the nursing home and assisted living facility,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “The emergency drinking water order requires a public notice to be issued regarding the potential presence and risk of exposure to Legionella at the facility, the implementation of mitigation measures at the facility to protect against the risk of Legionella , and the installation of a disinfection treatment system at the facility that is sufficient to control Legionella contamination.”

Proactive measures to test manmade water systems, as part of a water management program to detect Legionella exposure risks, can be an important step in preventing illnesses, outbreaks and fatalities. EMSL Analytical, with dozens of laboratories across North America, provides testing services and sampling supplies to support these efforts. They offer traditional culturing methods, and rapid PCR and Whole Genome Sequencing methods, to identify environmental sources of Legionella. A number of EMSL’s laboratories have received the CDC’s Certificate of Proficiency from its Elite Program for Legionella testing and some are also NYSDOH ELAP Legionella certified.

To learn more about Legionella testing or to request sampling supplies, please visit www.LegionellaTesting.com or www.EMSL.com, email info@EMSL.com or call (800) 220-3675.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is one of the leading testing laboratories with locations throughout the United States and Canada. EMSL is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider specializing in fast laboratory results for mold, bacteria, Legionella, USP 797, pathogens, asbestos, lead, soot, char & ash from fires, VOCs, odors, radon, formaldehyde, indoor air quality, microbiology, environmental, industrial hygiene, radiological, food, beverage & consumer products and material testing services for the identification of unknown substances. EMSL services both professionals and the general public. EMSL maintains an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies including, but not limited to A2LA, AIHA LAP, LLC. (AIHA EMLAP, AIHA IHLAP, AIHA ELLAP), NVLAP, CDC ELITE, CPSC, CA ELAP, NY ELAP, TX DOH, NJDEP and multiple other state accrediting agencies. Please visit our website at www.EMSL.com for a complete listing of accreditations. In addition, EMSL carries a wide range of Sampling Equipment and Investigative Products for environmental professionals.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail