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ValidationandVerification
Iftherearenoclearanddefensiblerecordsdocumentingthatsomething
wasdone, then it is as if that somethingwasnotdone.Commercial conflict
of interest allegationsarehard todefendagainstunlessprovisionsaremade
to establish adefensible claimof independence.
Validation isevidence that theright thingshavebeendone.Verification
isconfirmation that thingshavebeendoneright.Validationandverification
is defensible only to the extent that it is demonstrably independent of
commercial conflicts of interest that so often drive choices for water
treatment chemicals and/or devices used inbuildingwater systems.
Effective program implementation with independent validation and
verificationprovides thebest defense against an allegationof negligence.
Validation
Validation isevidence thathazardshavebeencontrolled in thebuilding
watersystem. It isevidence that theright thingshavebeendone. It isQuality
Control.Forbuildingwatersystems, validation is typicallyestablished from
three sources of test results:
1. Testing at sentinel points in the facility to measure the physical/
chemical parameters that control microorganisms in the system (for
instance, the chlorine residuals measured at a distal tap or the water
temperature at a showerhead).
2.Testing todetect thepresenceofpotentiallypathogenicbacteriasuch
as
Legionella
3. Disease surveillance (have their been any disease cases associated
with thebuilding?)
