Berson
UV-techniek
PRESS RELEASE (BER03-03)
UV
A POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE BATTLE AGAINST LEGIONELLA
Following
a number of outbreaks of Legionella bacteria at a popular swimming pool
in the Netherlands, the owner decided to install an ultraviolet (UV)
disinfection system from Berson UV-techniek.
The
showers at the Groenendaal Plus swimming pool in Tiel had to be shut down on
three separate occasions over the last three years because counts of the
pathogenic bacteria Legionella were found to be too high.
The
Legionella bacteria is responsible for Legionnaire's Disease which can be
fatal, particularly in elderly people. The bacteria multiply in warm water
(between 20-50oC), and the pipelines found in heated pools and shower
systems are ideal breeding grounds.
"These repeated outbreaks were having a negative effect on our business, with visitor numbers starting to fall," commented Mr B. Corbijn, the pool's Managing Director. "We tried a number of different methods in the past to control Legionella, but none were completely successful, so we decided to try UV disinfection instead."
UV
works by permanently destroying a microorganism's DNA, as well as disabling the
special DNA repair enzymes found within cells. Unable to repair their DNA, the
bacteria quickly die. UV is a clean, non-intrusive technology that produces no
unwanted disinfection by-products and has no effect on the smell or chemical
composition of the water.
While
it is virtually impossible to remove Legionella completely from warm
water supplies, UV can reduce numbers to a safe level. Since the Berson UV
system was installed, tests have shown that the level of all bacteria,
including Legionella, are significantly lower, and well within the
acceptable level.
Mr
Corbijn discovered UV for Legionella destruction after contacting Berson
for information on the use of UV for removing chloramines from pool water.
Chloramines are the chlorine by-products responsible for the unpleasant smells
often associated with public pools. UV is highly effective at destroying these
compounds, resulting in a more pleasant bathing environment.
Berson
is recognised as a world leader in pool water disinfection and has installed
over 300 UV systems in pools and aqua parks around the world. Groenendaal Plus
is the first swimming pool in the Netherlands to install a bersonInLineŽ UV
disinfection system as a weapon against Legionella, but Berson expects
more will now follow.
Reader
enquiries:
Berson UV-techniek
Postbus 90, 5670 AB Nuenen, Netherlands
Tel
+31 (0) 40 290 7777 Fax +31 (0) 40
283 5755
E-mail:
sales@bersonuv.com
Web
site: www.bersonuv.com
Editorial
and photo:
Damian Corbet
reproduction
charges: Halma p.l.c., The Castell Building, 217 Kingsbury Road, London NW9
9HP, United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 20 8511 182 Fax
+44 (0) 20 8205 0055
E-mail:
dcorbet@halmapr.com