It was a Dog Day afternoon in August as the temperature was reaching that dreaded 100 degree mark and the humidity level was down to a tolerable 46 percent.  I looked over at a box stored on the patio by the grille that the misses brought back from Arizona last month.  It was a Keep & Cool misting system (picture) that is used to help cool patios and pool areas as well as misting plants in greenhouses. 

The misses wanted me to put it up so we could be cool while sitting on the patio.  I knew the last thing we needed in Houston was a mister with the high humidity levels that we have in this area during the summer months.  Anyway, I thought I would temporally hang it up and give it a try. Here is a picture of my temporary system (Don't laugh, this isn't permanent) .  I opened the box and it had 9 sections of PVC light-wall tubing, 10 couplings with drilled and tapped ports to receive the nozzle for the misters,  hose connection, a plug for the far end and support clamps which I did not want to use until it had proven itself worthy.

I hooked up the garden hose to the end and turned on the water which is supplied from our MUD District to see what will happen.  A fine mist was ejected from the nozzle to atomize the water into very fine droplets. It appeared to have a slight cooling effect due to the lower humidity level. 

As I looked at the spray, an article I read many months ago was bought to mind. I remembered that one of the ways to obtain the Legionella bacteria was from a shower head due to the fine mist that can occur.  If mist is inhaled and the water contains the Legionella bacteria, one is susceptible to catch Legionnaire's disease.  I decided to remove the misting system to protect my family and I from harms way.

With misting systems such as these and the bacteria that may be present, as we should all be aware of, the Legionella bacteria is in most water supply systems that is provided from surface water reservoirs.  A mister will increase the chance of one getting sick when inhaling the water particles if one health is susceptible to the bacteria.  

I will be posting more information on Legionella outbreaks in the world and other pertinent information relating to Legionella on this web site for your information. 

If you have any information you would like to see included please contact the webmaster.