Managing Building Water Disruptions in a Post-COVID World: Water Quality and Safety Risk Assessment Tool for Academic Institutions and School Settings
Buildings
; 13(4):921, 2023.
Article
in English
| ProQuest Central | ID: covidwho-2295831
ABSTRACT
Fluctuating building occupancy during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to poor water quality and safety conditions in building water distribution systems (BWDSs). Natural disasters, man-made events, or academic institutional calendars (i.e., semesters or holiday breaks) can disrupt building occupant water usage, which typically increases water age within a BWDS. High water age, in turn, is known to propagate poor water quality and safety conditions, which potentially exposes building occupants to waterborne pathogens (e.g., Legionella) associated with respiratory disease or hazardous chemicals (e.g., lead). Other influencing factors are green building design and municipal water supply changes. Regardless of the cause, an increasing number of water management policies require building owners to improve building water management practices. The present study developed a Water Quality and Safety Risk Assessment (WQSRA) tool to address gaps in building water management for academic institutions and school settings. The tool is intended to assist with future implementation of water management programs as the result of pending policies for the built environment. The WQSRA was modeled after water management practices created for controlling water contaminants in healthcare facilities. Yet, a novel WQSRA tool was adapted specifically for educational settings to allow building owners to evaluate risk from water hazards to determine an appropriate level of risk mitigation measures for implementation. An exemplar WQSRA tool is presented for safety, facility, industrial hygiene, and allied professionals to address current gaps in building water management programs. Academic institutions and school settings should examine the WQSRA tool and formulate an organization-specific policy to determine implementation before, during, and after building water-disruptive events associated with natural or man-made disasters.
Building And Construction; commissioning; disasters; green buildings; Legionella; risk assessment; schools; sustainability; water disruption; water management; water quality; Green development; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Water treatment; Water shortages; Water distribution systems; Contaminants; Health facilities; COVID-19; Water conservation; Construction; Respiratory diseases; Health care facilities; Quality standards; Shelter in place; Industrial health and safety; Natural disasters; Municipal water supplies; Man made disasters; Water consumption; Lead content; Hygiene; Safety; Municipal water; Coronaviruses; Disease transmission; Pandemics; Pathogens; Water engineering; Urban environments; Water supply; Flow velocity; Water use; Floods; Water pollution; Environmental management; Water distribution; Pollution control; Risk levels; Policies; Quality assessment; Hazard mitigation; Infrastructure; Institutions; Building design; Mitigation; Public buildings; Epidemics; Lake Huron; United States--US; Michigan
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
ProQuest Central
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Language:
English
Journal:
Buildings
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
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