--- title: Maintaining Water Quality in Under Occupied or Unoccupied Buildings - Cougar USA Latest News - Cougar USA | HVAC and Plumbing Solutions | Houston description: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything about our lives in the last sixty days. With the “Stay Home, Work Safe” orders and school closures, many commercial buildings are now under-occupied or completely unoccupied and may continue to be fo --- [Skip to main content](https://cougarusa.com/news/maintaining-water-quality-in-under-occupied-or-unoccupied-buildings#main-content) [![Cougar USA](https://cougarusa.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Cougarusa_August2024/images/Cougar_USA.png?width=334&name=Cougar_USA.png "Cougar USA")](https://cougarusa.com/) - [About Us](https://cougarusa.com/about-us) - [Team](https://cougarusa.com/about-us/team) - [Careers](https://cougarusa.com/about-us/cougar-careers) - [News](https://cougarusa.com/news) - [Contact Us](https://cougarusa.com/contact) - [Specifier Resources](https://cougarusa.com/specifier-resources) - [Solutions](https://cougarusa.com/solutions) - [Water Fill Stations](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/water-fill-stations) - [Domestic and Fire Water Storage](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/domestic-and-fire-water-storage) - [Pressure Boosting Systems](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/pressure-boosting-systems) - [Water Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV)](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/water-pressure-reducing-valves-water-prv) - [Sump Pumps](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/sump-pumps) - [Water Harvesting](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/water-harvesting) - [Domestic Hot Water Distribution](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/hot-water-distribution) - [Hydronic Cooling](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/hydronic-cooling) - [Hydronic Heating](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/hydronic-heating) - [Steam Specialties](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/steam-specialties) - [Services](https://cougarusa.com/services) - [Cougar STAR Program](https://cougarusa.com/services/cougar-star-program) - [Cougar USA Training Center](https://cougarusa.com/services/cougar-usa-training-center) - [Cougar Rental Pumps](https://cougarusa.com/cougarpumprentals) - [Products](https://cougarusa.com/products) - [Cougar Systems](https://cougarusa.com/products/cougar-systems) - [PUMP RENTALS](https://cougarusa.com/cougarpumprentals) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [About Us](https://cougarusa.com/about-us) - [Team](https://cougarusa.com/about-us/team) - [Careers](https://cougarusa.com/about-us/cougar-careers) - [News](https://cougarusa.com/news) - [Contact Us](https://cougarusa.com/contact) - [Specifier Resources](https://cougarusa.com/specifier-resources) - [Solutions](https://cougarusa.com/solutions) - [Water Fill Stations](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/water-fill-stations) - [Domestic and Fire Water Storage](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/domestic-and-fire-water-storage) - [Pressure Boosting Systems](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/pressure-boosting-systems) - [Water Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV)](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/water-pressure-reducing-valves-water-prv) - [Sump Pumps](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/sump-pumps) - [Water Harvesting](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/water-harvesting) - [Domestic Hot Water Distribution](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/hot-water-distribution) - [Hydronic Cooling](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/hydronic-cooling) - [Hydronic Heating](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/hydronic-heating) - [Steam Specialties](https://cougarusa.com/solutions/steam-specialties) - [Services](https://cougarusa.com/services) - [Cougar STAR Program](https://cougarusa.com/services/cougar-star-program) - [Cougar USA Training Center](https://cougarusa.com/services/cougar-usa-training-center) - [Cougar Rental Pumps](https://cougarusa.com/cougarpumprentals) - [Products](https://cougarusa.com/products) - [Cougar Systems](https://cougarusa.com/products/cougar-systems) - [PUMP RENTALS](https://cougarusa.com/cougarpumprentals) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 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Close   Print ## Maintaining Water Quality in Under Occupied or Unoccupied Buildings [Water Contamination](https://cougarusa.com/news/tag/water-contamination), [Water Harvesting](https://cougarusa.com/news/tag/water-harvesting) [FDI Creative Services](https://cougarusa.com/news/author/fdi-creative-services) Tuesday, 19 May 2020 ![legionella](https://cougarusa.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cougarusa_August2024/Images/legionella.jpg?width=646&height=485&name=legionella.jpg) The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything about our lives in the last sixty days.  With the “Stay Home, Work Safe” orders and school closures, many commercial buildings are now under-occupied or completely unoccupied and may continue to be for months.  Without regular use from tenants, guests or students, [it can be a challenge to maintain a building’s water systems](https://engineering.purdue.edu/PlumbingSafety/covid19/building-water-safety-study).  Reduced consumption at the municipal supply and within the building can lead to reduced levels of chlorine and allow for bacteria growth, [most notably Legionella](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-legionnaires-idUSKCN2261AO), in the piping.  To maintain water quality, a building’s water systems need to be flushed and tested.  Opening faucets, showers (hot & cold), flushing toilets, draining dead legs, running drinking fountains & bottle fillers, ice machines, coffee makers, and other appliances on a regular schedule will prevent the water from becoming stagnant and potentially allowing bacteria growth.  If any of these fixtures drain to a sanitary sump station, it needs to be pumped down on a similar schedule to prevent water from sitting in the basin for long periods.  The schedule for flushing building’s water systems will vary depending on occupancy, size, age, and design. Regular water testing will provide feedback on the building’s water quality.  Cougar USA can provide on-site Legionella testing [Spartan Bio Cube](https://www.dropbox.com/s/sbdxeg30yqnyc65/Spartan%20Cube%20Key%20Features.pdf?dl=0) and deliver results in 45 minutes.  If Legionella is detected in the water, we can provide recommendations for short-term remediation and long-term mitigation.  Please [contact ](https://cougarusa.com/contact/)Cougar USA for more information on flushing and testing. Tags: [Water Contamination](https://cougarusa.com/news/tag/water-contamination) [Water Harvesting](https://cougarusa.com/news/tag/water-harvesting) Stay Informed When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you won't miss them. 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