Cleaning and disinfection of water systems forms part of a Legionella Control and Management Programme. Cleaning and disinfection of water systems will ensure they comply with health & safety regulations and prevent Legionella bacteria from reaching potentially harmful levels. 
 
Water systems can harbour Legionella bacteria which is the cause of Legionnaires' disease and other related diseases. Infection is caused by breathing in small droplets of water contaminated by the bacteria. 
 
All water systems should be inspected, cleaned and disinfected in accordance to the type of system under consideration and the by the Legionella Risk and Control Management programme resulting from your Legionella Risk Assessment. 
Hot and Cold Water Systems 
 
As a general rule hot and cold water storage tanks and calorifiers should be inspected annually. If such tanks and calorifiers are found to be contaminated, then cleaning and disinfection is required. Hot and cold water systems will need cleaning and disinfection if results from water samples show the presence of Legionella bacteria. If there is a heavy total viable bacteria count (TVC) then after reviewing it could also be that the system needs cleaning and disinfection. If regular temperature monitoring shows consistent noncompliance within the framework of your LRA then cleaning and disinfection might also be part of the Legionella Risk Management Control Programme. 
 
Other Systems 
 
Systems where water droplets are formed (e.g. shower heads, cooling towers) will need to a have regular programmes of cleaning and disinfection as required by HSG 274 and HSG282. The cleaning and disinfection schedule should be defined in the LRA for the system. If regular checks for Legionella risk control are consistently non-compliant then cleaning and disinfection will be a necessary part of the Legionella Risk Control Programme. 
 
GES Water can provide cleaning and disinfection engineers who will carry out all cleaning and disinfection procedures in an expert and safe way providing full certification. Our engineers are trained and experienced in cleaning most types of water systems including those that have confined entry requirements. 
 
Contact us today for more information or leave us a comment below. 
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