What is water safety? 

Most household water systems contain some bacteria and other organisms which do not cause any problems. If the bacteria have the right conditions to multiply they can cause people to become ill.  

What is legionnaires' disease? 

Legionella is a bacterium which can grow in stored or stagnant water under certain conditions. 

Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia, caused by Legionella bacteria. It may be mild and flu-like, but can become more serious, and sometimes fatal. Early treatment with the correct antibiotics is effective in most cases and it is quite rare. 

Legionnaires’ disease comes from breathing in bacteria contained in small droplets of water, like spray from a shower or taps. It isn’t spread directly from person to person, and you can’t get it from drinking water. 

How do we manage water safety? 

Where water is stored or used in a communal area or shared property, we do the following: 

• Carry out a Risk Assessment to identify and manage any potential risks – this is reviewed frequently. 
• Check temperature at communal outlets – monthly. 
• Flush all communal outlets – weekly. 
• Scale and clean shower heads situated in communal areas - every three months. 
• Maintain and service chemical dosing unit where fitted. 
• Inspection of the condition of hot / cold water tanks and condition of water – annually. 
• Action all remedial works identified following any of the above tasks. 

How can you eliminate the risk of legionella? 

Legionella bacteria can be found in most water systems, but doesn’t usually cause any problems. Mains supply water is treated by water companies, so contamination would have to occur between the water plant and your home. 

Here’s how you can help to keep bacteria numbers low and prevent disease:

• If you are going to be away from your home for a week or more, make sure you run your taps when you get home, this will help to flush out excess bacteria. 
• Keep all showerheads and taps clean and free from the build-up of limescale. 
• Make sure any taps that are not normally used (such as outside toilets and taps) are flushed regularly. 
• Keep hot water at a minimum temperature of 50°C but beware of the risk of scalding. 
• Report any concerns to us by calling our repairs department on 0208 592 738