You probably know that you will need to get your building’s water systems tested for legionella bacteria. But do you know how often this should be done? It’s important to know this information and to act on it to ensure that you are fully compliant with the guidance and legislation revolving around health and safety and legionella bacteria in particular.
Water samples from your building will need to be taken and sent to a UKAS accredited lab for testing and reporting. How many samples need to be taken on each visit will depend on what facilities your business or building has. Samples should be taken from:
· Showers
· Sinks/baths/basins
If your building only has domestic water services, then you will need fewer samples taken than a building that has showers and a cooling tower, for example.
How Often?
Although it is possible to have annual water testing for legionella bacteria, this isn’t recommended. Why? Because a year is a long time to go without testing, and legionella bacteria could grow within your systems in that time, and you would have no idea that it had happened – unless and until someone became unwell.
It is wise to have your water sampled every quarter to be sure that you are keeping on top of the legionella control within your building. Six monthly tests can also be undertaken rather than quarterly once you are sure that the regime you have in place is working for you.
Who Should Do it?
Although the act of sampling water is not something that requires extensive training, it does take time, especially if you have a number of outlets within your building that need to be tested. This is why it is best to outsource your legionella testing to a water hygiene company that can do it for you.
The sample needs to be taken or sent to a UKAS accredited laboratory for testing and reporting within 24 hours, and this is another reason to contact Assured Water Hygiene for your legionella testing requirements – we can save you time and effort, ensuring that you are completely inline with legislation at the same time.