Legionella in drinking water
Legionella in drinking water
Whether you take a shower in the morning, at night, or after a workout, it helps to revive our senses and give us a new burst of energy. Hardly anyone would doubt that showering is healthy. But can we always be so sure?
Legionella and E-coli bacteria
30,000 people are diagnosed each year with legionellosis
Legionella are bacteria that cause both the lethal Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia) and Pontiac fever. Legionella is a tiny bacterium that occurs naturally in soil and surface water and passes into our water pipes through the cold water. They thrive and multiply particularly well in the hot water systems in our homes, in other words, the lines feeding our home showers. And, if you use energy-saving water heating systems, such as those power by solar or heat pump, Legionella thrives particularly well due to the relatively low temperatures of the hot water.
When you inhale the spray and steam coming off your shower head, you run the risk of inhaling bacteria, including Legionella. According to estimates by the Robert Koch Institute, some 30,000 people in Germany come down with legionellosis each year. This is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling Legionella in a shower or in the water vapor coming off HVAC systems.