Boilers + cooling towers: stop feeding Legionella

Legionella and boiler safety were front and center at a recent Southern California Facilities show—especially how inspectors are tightening standards around scale, biofilm and water management in hot‑water and cooling systems.

On a recent site visit, the City of Whittier reported excellent results after adding a Magnation Aquabolt on the circulating line, which helped strip out the remaining scale in the boiler system’s low spots—exactly where biofilm and Legionella like to hide.

Why Legionella is such a concern

Legionella bacteria thrive in warm water between 77–113°F (25–45°C), especially where scale and biofilm create rough, protected surfaces inside piping, boilers, heat exchangers, and cooling towers. Biofilms shield bacteria from disinfectants and heat, allowing them to survive and spread through aerosolized water droplets.

That’s why standards like ASHRAE 188 now push building owners to actively manage Legionella risk in hot‑water systems, cooling towers and other large plumbing networks.

Magnation’s role: make the system hostile to Legionella

Magnation is not a biocide and does not replace disinfection. Instead, its physical water conditioning targets the conditions Legionella needs to thrive—scale, biofilm and stagnation—so your existing chemical or thermal program works better.

You can think of it as a non‑chemical “risk reducer” that:

Reduces biofilm formation by creating vortexing, turbulence and a tailored magnetic field that interfere with biofilm attachment and growth on surfaces. Facilities using physical water treatment have documented meaningful reductions in viable bacterial cells in biofilms.

Prevents new scale and removes existing deposits, leaving smoother metal surfaces that are harder for biofilm and bacteria to colonize. Case studies show Magnation significantly cuts scale and improves heat transfer in cooling towers and boilers while lowering chemical demand.

Improves flow and reduces stagnation by lowering surface tension and friction, which supports better circulation and fewer “dead legs” where warm, stagnant water can foster Legionella growth.

Supports cleaner, more efficient systems, so your standard Legionella controls—chlorine, bromine, heat, UV and flushing—can do their job with less effort and often lower cost.

Where this matters most

Magnation can help reduce Legionella risk factors and maintenance burden in:

Boilers and hot‑water loops – Lower scale, cleaner heat exchangers and better circulation reduce places for biofilm and bacteria to shelter

Cooling towers and condensers – Less scale and biofilm on fill and tubes, improved water quality, and better thermal efficiency complement your chemical program and support ASHRAE 188 water management goals.

Large plumbing networks – Hospitals, hotels, universities and municipal buildings benefit from fewer deposits, smoother piping and improved flow distribution.

Real‑world results

Customers using Magnation on boilers, cooling towers and pools report:

Noticeably cleaner tubes and plates, with heavy scale deposits dissolving over time.

Measurable cuts in chemical consumption—often 30–50% reductions in traditional treatment spend in some installations.

Improved energy efficiency (e.g., 40%+ pumping energy savings in a major HVAC system) and reduced water waste at facilities like Gap’s HQ cooling towers.

Important: part of a multi‑barrier strategy

Regulators and standards bodies are clear: Legionella control must follow a water management plan such as ASHRAE 188, with temperature control, adequate disinfectant, monitoring and documentation. Magnation strengthens that program—but never replaces it.

If you’re facing:

Inspectors flagging scale, biofilm or Legionella risk

Boiler or cooling tower performance issues

Rising chemical and maintenance costs

…Magnation can be an effective, non‑chemical way to clean up the water side of your system and help lower Legionella risk.

Click here to schedule a 20‑minute Legionella risk‑reduction review for your boiler, cooling tower or domestic hot‑water system, or reply to this email with “LEGIONELLA” and we’ll follow up with recommended products and an estimated ROI.