Building Water System Guidance Analysis

Building water system flushing and recommissioning protocols are being rapidly developed by multiple organizations. This page provides resources for building owners, public health officials, and private sector organizations who are seeking to develop, analyze, and improve their protocol documents.

The evaluation tool below was created based on a recent paper, "Considerations for Large Building Water Quality after Extended Stagnation" co-authored by 9 plumbing, water quality, and public health experts and conversations with various public health and environmental quality public servants.

More information and resources will be posted in the coming days.

Resource Links

Download the Building Water System COVID-19 Guidance Document Evaluation Tool Here

The contents of this document address the clarity and specificity of the following items:

1. A guidance document’s scope and applicability
2. Considerations for routine flushing to keep water moving through plumbing systems
3. Considerations for recommissioning to reduce exposure to health risks that developed during stagnation
4. Considerations for evaluating building water safety
5. Considerations for worker safety
6. Considerations for communication between stakeholders

This page is a collaboration between Dr. William Rhoads at Virginia Tech, Dr. Caitlin Proctor, and Dr. Andrew Whelton at Purdue University. The document was created by Dr. William Rhoads. For assistance with this document, analyzing or developing guidance, please contact William Rhoads at wrhoads@vt.edu. For assistance about the Center for Plumbing Safety, please contact Anderew Whelton awhelton@purdue.edu.