ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 31, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NSF International and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) will host a public health conference focused on water conservation and the prevention of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens September 11-13 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The second annual Legionella Conference, Building Water Systems − The Sustainability & Public Health Nexus, will bring together thought leaders and presenters from the public health, sustainability, water management, water utility and academic communities.
The three-day conference will feature renowned speakers and panel discussions on energy and water conservation, strategies for monitoring risk, mitigation solutions, factors increasing microbial risks, plumbing design requirements for low-flow systems and the national research agenda. The conference will also include technical pre-conference workshops, case studies and new technology reviews. The Conference Program & Planning Committee is comprised of respected leaders from the academic, regulatory, water treatment, facility management, plumbing design and environmental consulting sectors.
“One of the most significant challenges we face in the water industry is effectively aligning our strategies for risk management, conservation and illness/injury prevention,” said Chris Boyd, a Legionella Conference 2019 steering committee member and NSF International’s General Manager of Building Water Health in North America. “This topic came up again and again during our first Legionella Conference last year.”
In 2018, approximately 450 people attended the first Legionella Conference presented by NSF International with a grant from the National Science Foundation. Based on the success of last year’s event, conference organizers expect significantly higher attendance in 2019.
“Americans spend an estimated 90 percent of their time indoors – inside homes, office buildings, schools, day care centers and health care facilities,” said Dr. David Dyjack, Executive Director of NEHA. “The knowledge and management practices shared at this conference are essential to protect the health of every U.S. resident.”
With the steady rise in disease and injury associated with building water systems, Legionella Conference 2019 provides a unique opportunity for continued conversation on important public health and sustainability issues.
In 2016, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of 6,100 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the United States – a four-fold increase since 2000. However, because Legionnaires’ disease is likely underdiagnosed, the CDC says this number may underestimate the true incidence of disease. According to the CDC, keeping Legionella out of water systems in buildings is the key to preventing infection.
Visit www.legionellaconference.org for more information or to register for the conference. Sponsorships and exhibitor spaces are available. Conference organizers are accepting presentations on new innovations, research and data. Abstracts for oral presentations are due by March 1 and for poster presentations by May 1.
NSF International is a global public health organization that facilitates standards development, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. With operations in more than 175 countries, NSF International is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment.
The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) currently serves over 5,000 members to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all. Professionals who earn a Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian credential from NEHA are recognized as having achieved an established standard of excellence. These environmental health professionals master a body of knowledge (which is verified by examination), and acquire sufficient experience to satisfactorily perform work responsibilities in the environmental health field.
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