Legionella Risk Management
Managing the Risk
Protecting people starts with managing your cooling water system. Pace Solutions helps building owners and facility operators reduce Legionella risk through site-specific risk mitigation plans, effective water treatment, laboratory testing and hyperchlorination services—supported by routine monitoring and clear documentation.
Risk Management Programs
Managing Legionella risk requires more than adding chemicals or collecting a water sample. It takes effective treatment, clean equipment, routine monitoring and timely action when concerns arise.
Pace Solutions helps building owners and facility operators manage these responsibilities through site-specific cooling tower risk mitigation plans, professional water treatment, laboratory testing and hyperchlorination services.
Whether you are preparing for seasonal startup, reviewing your current program or responding to a positive Legionella result, our team can help you take the next step.
Contact the Pace Legionella Team
What is Legionella?
Legionella is a type of bacteria that can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious form of pneumonia. Exposure can occur when people inhale small airborne water droplets containing the bacteria.
Legionella occurs naturally in freshwater and can enter building water systems through the incoming potable water supply, including the makeup water supplied to cooling towers. Once inside, warm water, stagnation, biofilm, sediment and inadequate disinfectant control can create conditions that allow the bacteria to multiply.
Cooling towers and other evaporative cooling systems require particular attention because they can support bacterial growth and release water droplets into the surrounding air.
Effective risk management addresses both the circulating water and the condition of the equipment.
A Risk Mitigation Plan Built Around Your System
The Pace Solutions Legionella Risk Mitigation Plan for Cooling Towers provides a practical framework for treatment, monitoring, microbiological testing, corrective action and documentation.
The plan is tailored to your equipment, water quality, operating conditions and site requirements. It supports the building owner’s overall Water Management Plan and helps demonstrate practical due diligence.
A site-specific review considers:
- Equipment condition, cleanliness and water distribution.
- Water treatment performance and chemical feed controls.
- Seasonal operation, idle tower cells and stagnant sections.
- Previous microbiological results and recurring control issues.
- Drift eliminator condition and potential exposure near air intakes or public areas.
- Applicable owner, regulatory and public health requirements.
Our plan draws on recognized industry references, including ASHRAE Standard 188, ASHRAE Guideline 12, Public Works and Government Services Canada MD 15161, and Cooling Technology Institute guidance.
Our Legionella Risk Management Services
Water Treatment and Microbiological Control
Pace develops treatment recommendations suited to your cooling water system, combining microbiological control with scale and corrosion management.
Programs may include oxidizing and non-oxidizing biocides, along with biodispersants to help loosen biological deposits and support system cleanliness.
During service visits, our team reviews treatment levels, chemical inventory, feed equipment, controller operation and visible system conditions. We document findings and recommended actions so your facility team knows what needs attention.
Routine Monitoring and Trend Review
Consistent monitoring helps identify developing concerns before they become recurring problems.
Pace reviews treatment performance and microbiological trends alongside changes in system operation and cleanliness. Monitoring may include:
- Disinfectant residuals and inhibitor levels.
- pH, conductivity and cycles of concentration.
- Total bacteria counts or dipslide results.
- Chemical feed and control equipment performance.
- Visible biofilm, algae, sludge, scale or corrosion.
- Circulation, seasonal operating patterns and idle equipment.
Control targets and monitoring frequency are established for your site and adjusted when conditions warrant.
Laboratory Legionella Testing
Pace coordinates water sampling and Legionella analysis through qualified independent laboratories, including accredited culture testing using ISO 11731 methodology.
Testing frequency is established according to site risk, applicable requirements, the owner’s Water Management Plan and the Pace risk mitigation program. Additional testing may be recommended following positive results, significant control failures or corrective action.
Results are assessed alongside recent treatment, equipment condition and operating history to guide an appropriate response.
Total bacteria testing supports routine monitoring but does not replace Legionella-specific testing.
Discuss Legionella Testing for Your Site
Cooling Tower Hyperchlorination Services
Pace provides cooling tower hyperchlorination services to support customers’ Legionella risk mitigation programs and address microbiological concerns.
Hyperchlorination may be recommended for seasonal startup, following a positive Legionella result, or when system conditions require additional disinfection.
Our team selects a site-appropriate procedure that considers equipment materials, operating conditions, worker safety and discharge requirements. Treatment records include disinfectant residuals, contact time and treatment readings, together with post-treatment recommendations and follow-up testing guidance.
Where sludge, biofilm or heavy deposits are present, physical cleaning may also be required. Hyperchlorination works as part of an ongoing program of treatment, cleaning, maintenance and monitoring.
Ask About Hyperchlorination Services
Corrective Action and Technical Support
When test results or system conditions indicate a concern, Pace helps your facility team determine and document the next steps.
Recommendations may include:
- Reviewing and adjusting the treatment program.
- Restoring chemical feed, control or circulation equipment.
- Addressing stagnant or offline sections.
- Coordinating physical cleaning or mechanical repairs.
- Performing hyperchlorination where appropriate.
- Completing follow-up testing and increased monitoring.
Positive Legionella results and significant concerns are escalated through Pace’s technical leadership. Recommendations, communications and follow-up are documented so the response can be tracked.
Applicable public health and regulatory directions take precedence.
Supporting Your Water Management Plan
A Water Management Plan (WMP) establishes responsibilities, identifies control measures and defines how the facility will respond when conditions fall outside established limits.
Pace’s cooling tower risk mitigation plan supports this broader program through:
- System descriptions and equipment information.
- Defined owner, operator and service-provider responsibilities.
- Site-specific risk review and treatment recommendations.
- Monitoring targets and testing arrangements.
- Corrective-action triggers and escalation procedures.
- Service reports, laboratory results and follow-up records.
- Review at least annually and following significant changes or findings.
We work with your facility team and mechanical service providers to support implementation and ongoing review.
The building owner retains responsibility for the overall Water Management Plan, system operation, cleaning, mechanical maintenance, approvals and regulatory obligations. Pace supports these responsibilities through treatment, monitoring, testing, technical recommendations and documentation.
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Clear Records and Consistent Follow-Through
An effective program needs a clear record of what was observed, what was recommended and what was completed.
Pace’s service reporting helps your team track treatment performance, laboratory results, equipment concerns and corrective-action recommendations. Hyperchlorination records document the treatment performed and recommended follow-up.
These records support communication between owners, operators and service providers and help demonstrate practical due diligence.
Our goal is a program your team can understand, implement and maintain throughout the operating season.
Take the Next Step in Managing Legionella Risk
Whether you need to strengthen an existing program, arrange laboratory testing or schedule cooling tower hyperchlorination, Pace Solutions can help.
Contact our team to discuss a site-specific Legionella Risk Mitigation Plan for Cooling Towers and the services needed to support it.
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Resources
FAQ
No program can guarantee the elimination of Legionella or prevent every potential illness. Consistent treatment, cleaning, monitoring, testing and corrective action help reduce risk.
Testing should be addressed in your site’s risk mitigation program and Water Management Plan. Frequency depends on site risk, operating conditions and applicable owner, regulatory or public health requirements. Pace can help establish an appropriate schedule.
No. Total bacteria counts and Legionella tests measure different things. A low total bacteria count does not confirm that Legionella is absent.
Pace reviews the result with the facility contact and appropriate technical personnel, assesses treatment history and system conditions, and recommends corrective action and follow-up testing. The response also considers applicable site requirements and public health direction.
Yes. Pace provides cooling tower hyperchlorination services using site-appropriate procedures, documented treatment readings and follow-up recommendations.
Hyperchlorination is one part of risk management. Continued treatment, physical cleaning, mechanical maintenance, monitoring and follow-up testing remain essential.
The Pace plan should be reviewed at least annually, after major system changes or significant microbiological findings, and when applicable requirements change.
Questions? We’re here to help.
We’ve assembled some of the questions we’re asked most often and some useful downloadable documents for you. Follow the links below, and if the answers you’re looking for don’t appear in either location, feel free to drop us a line using the link to our Contact page.
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