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PREPARING FOR DAY ONE

Water Treatment & Plumbing • Ensure water heater(s) is/are properly maintained and the temperature is correctly set. • Determine if your manufacturer recommends draining the water heater after a prolonged period of disuse • Ensure that all maintenance activities are carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions • Make sure that your water heater is set and maintained to at least 120°F • Higher temperatures can further reduce the risk of Legionella growth, but ensure that you take measures to prevent scalding if you water heater is set to >130°F • Flush your water system(s) for a minimum of 30 minutes • Flush hot and cold water through all points of use (e.g., showers, sink faucets, fountains); » Flushing may need to occur in segments (e.g., section or individual floors) due to building size and water pressure. The purpose of building flushing is to replace all water inside building piping with fresh water. » Flush until the hot water reaches its maximum temperature » After the water feature has been refilled, measure disinfectant levels to ensure that the water is safe for use » Ensure water features such as fountains continue to receive chemical treatment or be drained to prevent bacterial growth » Treatment of amenities such as swimming pools and hot tubs should continue at an appropriate frequency to ensure they remain safe for use when they are reopened to use » In large commercial office buildings, drain and flush risers and water storage tanks for a minimum of 60 minutes » Replace filters on pantry fixtures, such as coffee makers and water dispensers, and flush for a minimum of 30 minutes » Consider performing domestic water quality testing • Clean all decorative water features, such as fountains and faucets • Be sure to follow any recommended manufacturer guidelines for cleaning • Ensure that decorative water features are free of visible slime or biofilm • Ensure safety equipment including fire sprinkler systems, eye wash stations, and safety showers are clean and well-maintained • Regularly flush, clean, and disinfect these systems according to manufacturers’ specifications. • Maintain your water system • Consider contacting your local water utility to learn about any recent disruptions in the water supply. This could include working with the local water utility to ensure that standard checkpoints near the building or at the meter to the building have recently been checked or request that disinfectant residual entering the building meets expected standards. • After your water system has returned to normal, ensure that the risk of Legionella growth is minimized by regularly checking water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, and disinfectant levels • Ensure a proper inspection of all P-traps and or location where stagnant water may have been an issue during the limited occupancy of your building • Sites need to consider antimicrobial product protection including the systematic cleaning of the U-bend and associated pipelines that will help reduce the risk of cross-contamination and associated infections. Regular decontamination of these components is a solution from an infection-control perspective. • At a minimum, site teams should flush toilets to fill P-Trap, pour water in floor drains and flow sink to fill P-Trap with water

RECOVERY READINESS: TRI-STATE

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