Our hospital installed the attached fountain in our new lobby, contrary to the department of infection control’s recommendation. It recirculates the water from the pool to the top where it dribbles down the rock face. Has legionellosis ever been shown to be caused by such a fountain? What would your recommendation be regarding assessing the fountain directly for Legionella?
The evidence that decorative fountains are a disseminator for Legionella is surprisingly weak. That said, we discourage installation of fountains in hospitals because of the anxiety that such fountains bring when Legionella outbreaks are attributed to such devices. However, in this particular case, it appears that the design is not one of intense aerosolization with spraying water. So, the risk of contracting Legionella by aerosolization is exceedingly low.