What is water hygiene and Legionella testing?

Not all risks come from water tanks. Many buildings use mains-fed systems but still have shared pipework, valves, risers or boosted supplies that need monitoring. The type and frequency of checks are based on a site-specific risk assessment, not simply whether a tank is present.

We follow a schedule based on the building’s water hygiene risk assessment and current regulations. That may include regular temperature monitoring, checks on outlets that aren’t used very often, inspections of storage tanks where present, and general reviews of the overall system.

How often we check depends on the type of building and the way the water system is set up.

The service typically includes temperature checks, inspection of communal pipework and equipment, flushing of rarely used outlets, monitoring of storage tanks and testing if needed.
We also keep records of all checks to make sure we’re following all the right rules and regulations.

If testing or monitoring shows that something isn’t as it should be and might be unsafe, we take action straight away. That might involve adjusting temperatures, disinfecting parts of the system, replacing faulty parts or carrying out further investigation.

Our priority is to restore safe conditions quickly and prevent any ongoing risk.

If you notice anything unusual - such as discoloured water, unusual smells, low pressure or leaks in communal areas  - please report it to the Contact Centre as soon as possible so we can investigate.