Case Study
Sanitary Point of
Entry Filtration’s
Impact on Patient Safety
The Challenge
In 2014, LiquiTech was contacted to remediate a persistent
Legionella problem in the domestic water system of a
Pennsylvania long-term care facility. The building has 8
stories with 60 long-term care patient rooms and several
other public spaces. After the facility unsuccessfully
attempted several super heat and flushes that failed
to control the Legionella problem, the facility installed
LiquiTech Copper Silver Ionization (CSI) on its hot water
system in October of 2014.
About
After implementation of the CSI, the facility experienced
dramatic reductions in the number of positive locations
and total recoverable colonies almost immediately. While
a greater than 90% reduction in Legionella positivity was
achieved post CSI; small lingering low level positivity, found
to be attributable to the cold (untreated) water evidenced by
the only remaining positivity that was continuing to occur at
two locations was in an ice machine and isolated cold water
only spigot. All water receiving ionized water at effective kill
levels was being effectively disinfected. Before attempting
to add disinfection to the cold water system, which would
come at a considerable additional investment, the decision
was made to install Safe-T-Gard point of entry filtration at a
5 micron rating.
Problem
Persistent Legionella problem in the domestic water
system of a long-term care facility. The building has
8 stories with 60 long-term care patient rooms and
several other public spaces.
Challenge
Small lingering low level positivity, found to be
attributable to the cold (untreated) water evidenced
by the only remaining positivity that was continuing
to occur at two locations was in an ice machine and
isolated cold water only spigot. Before attempting to
add disinfection to the cold water system the decision
was made to install Safe-T-Gard point of entry filtration
at a 5 micron rating.
Solutions
The facility installed LiquiTech Copper Silver
Ionization (CSI) on its hot water system. Safe-T-Gard
Point of Entry Filtration was also installed. This
solution avoids the common drawbacks of more
conventional filters through adaptation of an
established process water technology.
Results
One week after LiquiTech’s point of entry filtration
system was installed, Legionella testing came back
negative, and 2 months later the dosing efficiency of
the ionization system had increased by 200%.
The facility has maintained negative results for
Legionella in all water systems for 2 years with
no additional control measures or reactive
measures required.
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The Solution
Point of entry filtration, especially as a standalone solution, is usually dismissed when concerns of bacterial growth are
observed for good reason. First, filtration alone has no disinfection capabilities and cannot address systemic contamination
downstream. Additionally, traditional forms of filtration including bag, cartridge, and sand can actually act as bioreactors
for bacterial proliferation and amplify issues of systemic contamination. These issues are created by the loading and heat
generation in traditional cartridges and bags, while sand filtration struggles with inefficient backwashing and channeling.
These other technologies also suffer from excessive consumables cost, hazardous handling concerns, large footprint/space
requirements, nominal filtration ratings, large pressure losses, and significant wastewater rejection.

However, when used in combination with an effective systemic disinfection method, the right POE filtration can be a powerful
addition to a multistage disinfection program. By minimizing sediment, particulate and the nutrients bacteria use to amplify,
systemic disinfection such as Copper Silver ionization’s efficacy is magnified while minimizing new contaminants from
entering the building.

The Safe-T-Gard Point of Entry Filtration solution avoids the common drawbacks of more conventional filters through
adaptation of an established process water technology. With advances in manufacturing and a commitment to engineering
excellence, LiquiTech is proud to offer this technology to the drinking water market. The point of entry filtration technology
utilizes a mechanical screen with a micron rating of 2-100 microns for drinking water applications. This unique media utilizes
a patented self-cleaning mechanism that keeps the media sanitary, efficient, and does so with water rejection of less than
1% of total water treated. Pressure losses will not exceed 7 psi, minimizing pumping costs. The filtration media ensures
that the targeted particle range is removed and prevented from entering the facility, while the self- cleaning mechanism
is activated at the aforementioned 7 psi differential pressure, preventing bacterial growth on the media. As a result of this
smarter technology with the auto sensing cleaning, natural organic matter, nutrients and bacteria do not accumulate and
create the bioreactor scenarios as seen with other filtration methods. Maintenance is performed on a semi-annual basis
and the media is not a consumable.
The Result
One week after LiquiTech’s point of entry filtration system
was installed, Legionella testing came back negative, and
2 months later the dosing efficiency of the ionization system
had increased by 200%.

200% gain in copper/silver system dosing efficiency

in the first month

400% total efficiency gain for copper/silver system

dosing in the second month of operation

Negative Legionella tests in previously positive ice

machine and point of use

Daily backwash consumes 15 gallons of water/24

Conclusion

The ionization systems don’t have to work nearly as hard

to produce enough ions to keep up with the sediment
load as before the filtration. The system is only achieving
a small pressure drop, so the system is preventatively
flushing 15 gallons of water once every 24 hours to
prevent any microbial growth on the screen.

Most importantly, the facility has maintained negative

results for Legionella in all water systems for 2 years
with no additional control measures or reactive
measures required.

The facility has reported that they have seen a decline

in valve failures and an improvement in the lifecycles of
many water bearing equipment as a result of the reduction.

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