Researchers at Purdue University and Virginia Tech are offering guidance to facility managers to mitigate the dangers of water sitting unused in water pipes for weeks or months.  

“To avoid water issues, ‘fresh’ water must regularly flow to a building’s faucets. Most U.S. water providers add a chemical disinfectant to the water they deliver to kill organisms, but this chemical disappears over time,” according to the researchers. Mitigation measures include “intentionally flushing the building to replace all the old water with new water … at least weekly.