Protecting you from legionella

Anyone can get the infection although the risk increases with age and some other factors such as: 

• Being over 45 years old 
• Smoking 
• People with a vulnerable immune system 
• People with conditions such as chronic respiratory or kidney disease, diabetes, lung and heart disease 

The bacteria are commonly found in natural sources such as rivers and ponds, although people don’t usually catch it from these sources as the conditions aren’t right for the disease to develop.  

Domestic water systems, though whilst the risk is considered low, can provide the right conditions for the bacteria to develop. This is why it’s important that you understand what legionella is and the measures you can take to help control this. 

Let’s start with Abri’s responsibilities 

Abri works with specialist contractors to carry out our legal obligations to manage our water for communal water systems. We follow an Approved Code of Practices (ACoP) and monitor these properties on a monthly basis, except those properties deemed to be a low risk, like our rented homes. 

During gas safety checks our engineers will make sure your boiler is set to 60°C, in line with water regulations. At this temperature legionella bacteria is killed. 

What are my responsibilities to manage? 

The risk to self-contained domestic homes is very low due to the water in the property being used consistently, meaning fresh water is being regularly introduced into the system. 

But there are other steps which can be taken to further lower the risk:

• If you have a cylinder which provides your hot water, make sure the thermostat is set to 60°C. Be aware though that the water coming from your taps or shower will be very hot so take care when running a bath or shower 
• If you have a boiler which provides your hot water, make sure your digital display on the boiler is set to 60°C. This will be checked annually during your gas service but is good practice for you to check regularly to make sure the system is working correctly. 
• If you have a cold water tank in your loft, please check that the lid is on and in good condition with no holes. If you have any concerns over the condition of the tank or tank lid, contact us and we'll arrange to look at this for you. 
• Make sure your taps and shower heads are kept clear of limescale. This part is really important as the scale is a source of nutrients (food for the bacteria) which can help it grow and multiply. Supermarkets sell descaling products to help with this, especially for hard water areas, but it’s important that you read and follow the manufacturers guidance. We'd advise that descaling should take place as regularly as required but carried out at a minimum of every three months. 
• All taps and showers (not forgetting any outside taps) should get regular use for several minutes each week. Any taps that don't get usage for several minutes every week are referred to as “little used outlets” and will need to be flushed through weekly to ensure fresh water is regularly introduced to that tap or shower. To put simply, if you use a shower or tap daily you won’t need to do a weekly flush.  
• If you're away for a week or longer then you'll need to flush through all hot and cold taps and showers (not forgetting any outside taps) before use. For hot taps ensure you turn on the hot water when you get back and leave for two hours to get up to the set temperature before running any hot water taps. 

You’ve said to flush through taps or showers not used, do I just turn on my taps? 

Well simply put yes, but there are safe ways to carry out the flushing of taps and showers which prevents water droplets being released into the air. 

With taps, open the tap up slowly and then increase the flow of water gradually allowing the water, both hot and cold to run for a minimum of two minutes. 

With showers, where possible remove the shower head and let the water flow from the hose, running for a minimum of a full minute on the coldest setting and two minutes on the hottest setting. 

Where shower heads may be fixed, you can cover them with a plastic bag, cutting a small hole in the bottom corner to allow the water to drain out. 

The main point is not to create an aerosol that can be breathed in as this is the route of entry into the body for legionella bacteria. This process should be followed weekly for any taps or shower (not forgetting outside taps) which do not get several minutes usage weekly. 

What if I’m a shared owner or leaseholder?

If you are a shared owner or a leaseholder, it's your responsibility to check the temperature of your boiler as well as the condition of your cold water tank if you have one. You also can find some additional advice and guidance on Legionella here.

What should I do if I have any concerns about legionella? 

The purpose of this information is not to scare, but to inform you of the potential risk and offer advice on what you can do to further lower the risk within your home. 

Should you have any concerns that your water temperature is not hot enough, your cold water feels warm or maybe you’ve noticed holes in your cold water storage tank lid when you were in your loft area, or you have any queries relating to the information provided, then please contact us. 

If you have any questions, you can get in contact with us via the following methods: 

• Using the live chat on MyAbri 
• Telephone on 0300 123 1567 

This advice has been compiled using information from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Public Health England (formerly the HPA)