ASPE Working Group 99 was recently approved to develop a new standard that will provide guidelines to the healthcare and MEP engineering communities on approaches to optimally implement and manage the thermal disinfection process, and is seeking industry experts (mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineers, healthcare facility owners and management and operations personnel, and plumbing product manufacturers) to participate in the process. Interested professionals can apply at aspe.org.

ASPE 99-202x: Implementation and Management of the Thermal Disinfection Process in Domestic Hot Water Systems will provide guidelines to the healthcare and mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering communities on approaches to optimally implement and manage the thermal disinfection process. Thermal disinfection is one of the primary Legionella mitigation methods used in healthcare today, and several plumbing manufacturers have developed products to facilitate implementing a thermal disinfection process, including balancing valves, master and point-of-use mixing valves, water heaters, fixtures, etc. This standard will provide direction on how to effectively implement and manage the thermal disinfection process utilizing these components.

Performing thermal disinfection in a domestic hot water system poses challenges on many levels, especially in an occupied healthcare facility. Patient and staff safety, implementation cost, management cost, responsiveness, optimized utilization of resources, and proactive vs. reactive thermal disinfection are examples of the many challenges facing the healthcare and engineering communities today, and this standard would help alleviate such concerns.