ASHRAE Takes Over Development of Building Water Safety Standard
The proposed ASHRAE Standard 514 will be designated as a safety standard, and the committee will coordinate with SSPC 188, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, to ensure there is no conflict or duplication between the two standards.
ASHRAE has announced its intent to continue the development of a standard to establish safe management practices for building water systems. Global public health organization NSF International recently transferred facilitation of NSF Standard 444, Minimizing Risk of Disease and Injury Associated with Building Water Systems, to ASHRAE to complete the standard development process and publish it as ASHRAE Standard 514.
The proposed ASHRAE Standard 514 will be designated as a safety standard, and the committee will coordinate with SSPC 188, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, to ensure there is no conflict or duplication between the two standards, according to ASHRAE's announcement, adding that, where appropriate, the document will reference ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2018, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems. The committee will use NSF 444: Prevention of Injury and Disease Associated with Building Water Systems as the base document.
"Standard 514 will go further to address building water quality, the importance of managing safe, quality building water systems and prevention strategies," said 2018-2019 ASHRAE President Sheila J. Hayter, P.E. "We appreciate the contributions of NSF International and anticipate the publishing of a groundbreaking standard that will help safeguard building and public health."
The two organizations, both of which are accredited by ANSI to develop voluntary standards, reported that they agree the standard is urgently needed to assist regulators, public health departments, building owners, and health care facilities in better managing the risk of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens and hazards in building water systems. "We're focused on getting the standard into the hands of people who can use it to prevent outbreaks of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens," said Jessica Evans, director of standards at NSF International. "We're proud of our contribution to this standard and we are confident ASHRAE will be able to bring all the necessary stakeholders together to finalize the standard."