Water quality

Maintaining water quality

We support the safety of federal employees, contractors, and visitors by implementing water quality management guidance in federally owned facilities and leased space under our jurisdiction, custody, or control.

As part of our water quality management strategy, we conducted extensive baseline water tests throughout 2024 and 2025 and implemented various water quality management best practices to identify and address potential issues. These steps were aimed at minimizing bacteria growth and metal releases in building water systems. 

It’s crucial to emphasize that testing is a proactive best practice and does not imply the existence of a known risk.

Baseline testing

This testing assessed the presence of lead, copper, and bacteria, including total coliforms (E. coli) and Legionella.

Our water quality management plan: Testing and strategy

Our water quality management strategy is designed to align with key guidelines and standards¹. These include:

• Leveraging Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resources for Legionella.
• Using Environmental Protection Agency regulations for Public Water Systems as thresholds.
• Integrating best practices from industry standards such as ASHRAE Standards 188 & 514, in addition to Guideline 12.

Our water quality management practices address the following:

• Legionella
• Total coliform
• Escherichia coli (E. coli)
• Lead
• Copper

We specifically tested for these because results can provide crucial insights into a building’s plumbing infrastructure or incoming water source.

In general, Legionella, total coliform, E. coli, lead and copper can be managed to ensure safe, continued facility use. Effective management relies on taking immediate corrective actions and follow-up testing to verify the effectiveness of those actions.

Corrective actions may include flushing, adjusting water temperatures, or building modifications such as replacing pipes or fixtures. When corrective actions are taking place, temporary measures such as providing bottled water may be necessary where there is the potential for risk to health.

Discover how we manage water quality initiatives in:

• Federally owned facilities
• Leased spaces

More information

• If you manage a leased space and need more information on water quality, visit our Real Estate Services: Leasing section.
• For facility specific information, contact the appropriate GSA Facility Manager or Lease Administration Manager.
• For additional questions, contact waterquality@gsa.gov.

See how our experts are responding to your frequently asked questions.

Additional resources

• General
  • ASHRAE Guidance for Water System Risk Management
  • EPA Ground Water and Drinking Water information
  • CDC About Drinking Water page
  • EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
  • CDC Health Department Directories (state, local, Tribes)
• Legionella
  • CDC Legionnaires’ Disease Fact Sheet
  • CDC’s “Routine Legionella testing: A multifactorial approach to performance indicator interpretation”
  • CDC’s “How Legionella Affects Building Water Systems and People”
  • CDC’s “Controlling Legionella in Potable Water Systems”
  • CDC’s How Legionella Spreads
  • OSHA’s Legionellosis (Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever)
  • CDC’s “Routine Legionella Testing in Buildings Without Cases”
• Lead
  • ATSDR ToxFAQs™ for Lead
  • Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
• Copper
  • ATSDR ToxFAQs™ for Lead
• Total Coliform and E. coli
  • EPA Revised Total Coliform Rule And Total Coliform Rule

Footnotes

¹ Standards being used are not federal regulations but industry best practices.