Legionella testing

[AngloDutch]

I've come across some old threads on this, but nothing recent.

I was just wondering if holiday home owners outside the Netherlands are having to keep, and weekly update a log for the prevention of legionella bacteria infestation, including spending hours on checks and administration each week? Mine looks like it is has come from an aircraft. Here's what it contains:

- a log for rinsing taps and showers that are not constantly in use. This has to be done once a week and at every point the water must flow for at least 2 minutes (the date, location, type of tap, signature and any remarks has to be filled in).

- a log for checking the temperature of warm water at every point in the accommodation. Temperature must reach 60'C. If it does not, then direct action has to be taken (including calling in an engineer to check the boiler, etc.) This has to be done once per month (date and time of samples taken, locations, thermometer temperature at opening of hot tap and the end reading, the temperature of the room at the time the sample is taken, your signature and any remarks)

- log for checking cold water temperature at any 5 points in the accommodation (alternating). Temperature must not reach 25'C. If temperature is higher, then the reason has to be investigated. This has to be done weekly, but if after a year there are constant low temperature readings, then the check can be reduced to monthly (date of samples taken, locations, thermometer temperature at opening of tap, highest reading reached and the end reading, the time taken to reach a stable end temperature in seconds, the temperature of the room at the time the sample is taken, your signature and any remarks)

- twice a year an accredited company must come and take 2 water samples from a tap with mixed warm and cold water output. The water samples will be sent to a laboratory for analysis and a report will be returned showing whether there is any legionella present (including non-pneumophila) in the water supply.
The level must be below 100 colony-forming units per litre. If not, you have to take immediate action and flush it out of the system. The company has to return to take more water samples within a few weeks.
If the level is then still above that permitted, you have to bring in the experts who will flush your system for you with various chemicals at a cost of around €1,000.
Also, if the level is above 1000 CFU/l, you must contact a government department as well within 48 hours who will inform the local health authorities. Depending on the level of contamination, you have to inform all your (future) guests that you are contaminated with legionella. If the level is extreme, then the health authorities will order the closure of the accommodation until it has been decontaminated.
After further tests, once the level has been found to be under the accepted level, you have to inform the same government department of the all-clear.

-a log to show when and from where these water samples were taken, and the results

Not forgetting, an entire inventory of every tap point, shower, the name of the company supplying the water, when the water meter was installed, the make and age of the boiler, and around 15 pages of other questions. A floor plan of the entire accommodation with all tap points shown is a requirement as well.

- and, last but not least, a log to show that you have tested your thermometer to check whether its battery is fresh and that its results can be relied on. Just once per year!



So, I was just wondering, you are all doing this as well, aren't you?! No?!

[Joanna]

[Bunny]

I don't do it specifically for Legionella, but I have to regularly carry out similar procedures because we are not on mains water and have our own borehole. Water regulations have been amended in recent years and I've just had to spend a four figure sum in 'improvements' to our system to make it comply with the new regulations.

[AngloDutch]

We also had a check up a few years ago where someone came around and wanted to see our log book as they wanted to know that everything was in order and that the log was being updated weekly.

We just explain to guests that we have to check on our water quality and that is the reason that we have to barge in and start running the taps and placing a thermometer under the shower (some of our guests stay up to 6 weeks in the summer months, and you can imagine how often we have to inconvenience them because of this lunacy).

The cost of the laboratory analysis of the water samples is €145 each time as well.

[CSE]

The cost of the laboratory analysis of the water samples is €145 each time as well.

That is The Netherlands. Can be very expensive. Our water tests are far less, but we also have to apply to the EU regulations on this. Just more costs we have all to suffer and the risk/cost is out of proportion for small businesses. I can understand larger buildings with, say roof tanks and air con, this check is necessary.

[Bunny]

I've just paid £155.00 for a laboratory water analysis so on a par with The Netherlands.