Because Legionella bacteria can develop in practically any area of a hot or cold water system, landlords and companies face a major danger and a huge duty. In the correct circumstances, legionella can swiftly take hold and transmit catastrophic illness. With a wave of summer heat, the incidence of legionella growth is on the rise.
Here are four major reasons why cold water storage tank cleaning and disinfection is critical in the fight against legionella.
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Water Stagnation
According to the Health and Safety Executive, legionella bacteria prefer stagnant water. As a result, your cold water storage tanks are one of the most probable locations for hazardous bacteria to be detected.
Stagnation may result from a variety of circumstances, including:
* Water is underutilised, causing it to stagnate for longer than required.
* Using a tank that is much too big.
* Caused by problems elsewhere in your water system, blockages or insufficient flow.
A cold water storage tank is often the first site where these issues are discovered. They may then be eradicated by changing your system or the way you utilise water.
Storage tanks, however, are designed to have some amount of stagnation. Keeping this in mind, there is no substitute for thorough cleaning and disinfection.
Eliminating Legionella's Food
Aside from stagnation, cold water tanks are host to a variety of chemicals that can serve as useful food sources for legionella bacteria.
A filthy tank will accumulate rust, sediment, and silt over time. Worse, if not adequately cared for and managed, unregulated tanks can get polluted with organic debris such as leaves and even small creatures such as rats, birds, or squirrels.
All of these things are simple to overlook if you don't examine, clean, and disinfect your tanks on a regular basis. All too frequently, cold water tanks go unused and unnoticed, exposing individuals to dangerous sickness.
Maintain A Cleaning Program
Above all, inspection, cleaning, and disinfection should be performed on a regular basis. HSG274, the Health and Safety Executive's guidance on legionella bacteria management, suggests examining your tank at least once a year, or more often if contamination is discovered.
If cleaning is required, the whole tank must be emptied, which will necessitate turning off the water supply. The right experts will assist you in minimising the effect on your home or company, preventing interruption whenever feasible.
Cleaning and disinfection are a mix of physical and chemical procedures. At Assured Water Hygiene, we employ customised formulas to achieve the highest degree of cleanliness as part of operations that adhere to the most recent HSC ACoP requirements.
It's A Legal Obligation
Finally, completing your legal requirements entails reporting on your visual evaluations, as well as cleaning and sanitising as issues occur. Documentation is critical to protecting your brand – and the reputation of your water consumers.
Special measures for your cold water storage tank should be part of your plan for satisfying your legal requirements to restrict the spread of legionella. Tanks, as any legionella risk assessment would point out, provide a significant amount of risk, and keeping them clean is critical.
Learn more about our cleaning and disinfection services for cold water storage tanks.