The Association of Water Technologies (AWT) has released a paper on Legionella and minimizing the risk of legionellosis from water systems. The number of cases of legionellosis reported to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 2003 totaled 624 as of July, compared to 436 for the corresponding period in 2002--a 43% increase. In some regions of the country, the numbers are double or triple those reported at the same time last year.

To help shed some light on the disease and its causes, the AWT paper "Legionella 2003: An Update and Statement by AWT," provides an overview of Legionella and Legionnaires' disease, including background and general facts, sources of the disease, how it is transmitted and how it can be tested for/treated in water systems.

The paper is available as a free download from AWT's Web site at http://www.awt.org/Legionella03.pdf, and will be presented at the 2003 AWT Water Technologies Convention and Expo in Phoenix in September.