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Legionella can thrive unseen in water systems that many people are unaware of, including office plumbing, decorative fountains and the common garden hose.
It is vital to stay on top of monitoring, controlling and preventing legionella bacteria from growing in your home and business. Legionella bacteria can cause a severe lung infection known as Legionnaires’ disease.
Here at Acorn Safety Services, we have all the expertise required to keep your water, your property, and your people safe. So, we’re starting a five-part Legionella blog post series to ensure you’re also in the know about what you should be doing to keep things clean and safe.
First up, weekly flushing.
Why should you do weekly flushing?
Weekly flushing is crucial in water management to ensure that the water doesn’t lay stagnant and instead is regularly moving around the system. If water sits in a tank or pipe for too long within the temperature range of 20°C to 45°C (68°F to 113°F) it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria with organic nutrients growing in the pipework.
This danger zone allows legionella bacteria to thrive and multiply rapidly. Weekly flushing avoids stagnant water and therefore reduces this risk.
Regular water flow also prevents corrosion, keeps any fixtures and fittings functioning correctly, and quickly identifies any leaks or pressure issues.
Who needs to do weekly flushing?
Anyone can do weekly flushing, and it should be taking place everywhere, even in your home. In a business setting, a nominated person, or persons, should be recording the areas that are being flushed each week.
In a domestic dwelling, you should run all taps and showers at least once a week. The most commonly unused and forgotten faucet in the home is the garden tap. Turn it on once a week for a couple of minutes to ensure your hose isn’t going to make you ill.
If you’ve not done it for a while, look at disinfecting any spray nozzles and hoses before use.
Similarly, if you have been on holiday for longer than a few days, ensure your run all taps and showers for a few minutes with the windows open before you use them.
Moving house? A new property should have all the required pipework chlorination certification so you can be sure it is safe when you move in. A pipework chlorination certificate is official documentation that confirms a water system has been disinfected using chlorine, in accordance with safety standards.
Anyone involved in water system management who requires more information on water safety and legionella should sign up for the Acorn Safety Services legionella awareness course.
Alternatively talk to our team of experts by calling 01604 930380.
