A study in a US hospital shows that Electronic taps are more prone to harbour Legionella bacteria than traditional taps.
Electronic faucets in hospitals intended to thwart the spread of bacteria are actually more likely to be contaminated with high levels of certain bacteria than manual faucets, a new study says.
The researchers analysed water samples from taps at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Half of the samples from electronic faucets grew cultures of the bacteria Legionella, while only 15 percent of samples from traditional faucets grew this bacterium.
The researchers suspect the more complex valves of electronic faucets simply offer more surfaces for the bacteria to grow on.
Similarly, David Harper, a leading expert in the control of Legionella warned us about the issue of legionella bacteria growth in TMV’s at the Ireland Legionella Conference. He believes rubber valves and parts within the TMV’s can provide a safe harbour to the bacteria allowing its rapid growth.
Source: Construction Week Online & David Harpur at the Ireland Legionella Conference
