NIST Receives New Patent for Microbe-Killing Water Heater July 14, 2026

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2026/07/nist-receives-new-patent-microbe-killing-water-heater It’s easy to take hot running water for granted. Simply twist a knob, and it comes pouring out. But hot plumbing comes with a risk — the potential growth of harmful bacteria. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have just been granted a patent for a water heater system that kills a class of harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease and other life-threatening infections, while reducing the associated risk of scalding. Warm water in household pipes can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Raising water heater temperatures kills bacteria more thoroughly but can also scald human skin. NIST researchers have secured a patent for a water heater design that raises water temperature to kill harmful bacteria before cooling it to a safe temperature.