Whirlpool Spa Legionella & Microbiology Testing

Is your whirlpool spa safe and in compliance with regulatory code?

Protecting Hot Tubs In Hotels And Cruise Ships From Legionnaires’ Disease Bacteria by jpg

The public may be at risk of Legionnaires’ disease (and other diseases) from exposure to contaminated water in hot tubs or whirlpool spas.  These hot tubs may be encountered at hotels, on cruise ships or at home and garden expos.  Even if people are not using the hot tubs the mist produced by them may be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. Exposure to these preventable dangers can create a huge legal liability and expense for your facility.  You can prevent the risk to the public and your facility by taking action now. Learn how our Whirlpool Spa Legionella & other microbiological tests for Hot Tubs in Hotels and Cruise Ships can help you assess your facility’s risk. 

All Pool Temperatures for Legionella

Our Whirlpool Spa Legionella & Other Microbiology Tests 

can help you stay code compliant and determine your whirlpool spa’s risk for Legionnaires’ Disease

Dr. Richard Miller and his Environmental Safety Technologies team are hot tub and whirlpool spa microbiology specialists. They have the experience and credentials to help you protect hot tubs everywhere from Legionnaires’ Disease bacteria.  With over 40 years of experience in research in the field as well as speaking at conferences, having articles and papers published, Dr. Richard Miller has earned the title of Dr. Legionella™ ! He has sat as the chair of the Whirlpool Spa subcommittees of ASHRAE Guideline 12-2000 and ANSI-ASHRAE Standard 188-2015. If you need Dr. Legionella™ and his team’s help with cases at your facility please click here to learn about our Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak Specialist Response Service. 

Below is some information from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s announcement for pool and hot tub operators.

How is Legionella spread in hot tubs?

Legionella is naturally found in water, especially warm water. Hot tubs (or spas) that are not cleaned and disinfected enough can become contaminated with Legionella. A person can get infected with Legionella when they breathe in steam or mist from a contaminated hot tub.

How do I protect myself, my family, and others?

Because high water temperatures make it hard to maintain the disinfectant levels needed to kill germs like Legionella, making sure that the hot tub has the right disinfectant and pH levels is essential. Our Whirlpool Spa Legionella and Other Microbiology Tests  in Hotels and Cruise Ships can help determine where you stand.

 If You Are A Hot Tub Operator, Ask Yourself the Questions Below 

  • What was the most recent health inspection score for the hot tub?
  • Are disinfectant and pH levels checked at least twice per day?
  • Are disinfectant and pH levels checked more often when the hot tub is being used by a lot of people?
  • Are the following maintenance activities performed regularly?
    • Removal of the slime or biofilm layer by scrubbing and cleaning?
    • Replacement of the hot tub water filter according to manufacturer’s recommendations?
    • Replacement of hot tub water?

What can Dr. Legionella™ and the EST Team do to help?

Whirlpool Spa Legionella & Microbiology Testing

These microbiology tests provides everything that you need to know, to determine if your spa is code compliant and safe from Legionella and other disease causing bacteria, by including results with interpretation and recommendations. All  of these tests can be run from one 250 ml water sample submitted to EST’s Laboratory.

Regulatory Spa Testing (for State, County or City Code)

  • Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) – Aerobic Bacterial Count  – provides a measure of the chlorine or bromine disinfection adequacy in the spa. Should be < 200 cfu/ml (colony forming units per milliliter. EST recommends WEEKLY sampling unless otherwise directed by code.

  • Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Total coliforms – public health indicator organisms that are a measure of the contamination of the spa water with bacteria from human feces. The E. coli. should be None Detected or < 0.01 cfu/ml. EST recommends WEEKLY testing unless otherwise directed by code.

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa – a serious human pathogen for both normal and immunocompromised individuals. This pathogen should also be None Detected or < 0.1 cfu/ml. EST recommends MONTHLY testing unless otherwise directed by code.

Legionella Spa Testing (for ASHRAE-188 Water Management Programs)

  • Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 – Primary Legionnaires disease pathogen should be None Detected or < 0.1 cfu/ml. EST recommends QUARTERLY testing unless otherwise directed by your Water Management Program.

  • Legionella pneumophila serogroups 2-14 – Important Legionnaires disease pathogen should be < 1 cfu/ml. EST recommends QUARTERLY testing unless otherwise directed by your Water Management Program.

  • Legionella (other species) – Important Legionnaires disease pathogenshould be < 1 cfu/ml. EST recommends QUARTERLY testing unless otherwise directed by your Water Management Program.

Other Spa-Transmitted Pathogens Testing (as required or requested) 

  • NTM Non-tuberculous Mycobacterium – a group of several different species (Total NTM, M. avium and M. chimaera) that are found in whirlpool spas and are serious human pathogens for both normal and immunocompromised individuals. Should be None Detected or < 0.1 cfu/ml. EST recommends QUARTERLY testing unless otherwise directed by code.

Put your hot tub and spa safety in Dr. Legionella’s hands.

We are your Hot Tub and Whirlpool Spa Safety Specialist.

Click here to download CDC’s announcement for pool and hot tub operators.

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