Legionnaire’s Disease is not contagious, and you can’t contract it from drinking water. To become infected, you’d need to inhale a reasonable number of small water droplets containing Legionella, making chances of infection extremely low. Although Legionnaire’s disease is quite uncommon and not everyone exposed to the bacteria falls ill, it can be very serious, and the elderly, people with chest or lung problems, and those with a low immune system may be at greater risk.
Legionella
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If your home is mains-fed (where cold water supplies come from outside) or if you have an individual water tank, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) considers the risk of contact with Legionella bacteria to be very low.
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The bacteria often get into domestic water supplies, but usually in very small amounts that aren’t serious. The main areas of risk are where the bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels then spread, such as where water of between 20°C and 45°C sits undisturbed for a long time.
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We undertake procedures at all our homes before our customers move in to minimise the risk of Legionella, and assess our procedures regularly. We run a detailed monitoring and inspections programme to ensure your water remains safe.
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We’ll keep you informed of any risks and the actions you can take to reduce them. Where the risks may be higher (for example, in communal or shared water tanks), we regularly monitor water temperatures. We also make sure the water is either too cold or too hot for Legionella to develop.
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To reduce the likelihood of Legionella breeding in and around your home, you can:
- Let your showers and taps run for several minutes after an abnormally long period of non-use to clear the pipes (eg. after you’ve been on holiday or if a second bathroom is not in regular use).
- Keep all shower heads and taps clean and free from the build-up of limescale, mould or algae by descaling them at least every three months.
- Keep your hot water thermostat at 60°C; don’t set it any higher as you may scald yourself.
- Let your showers and taps run for several minutes after an abnormally long period of non-use to clear the pipes (eg. after you’ve been on holiday or if a second bathroom is not in regular use).
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- Report any rust or unusual matter flowing from your taps or showers.
- Let us know if your cold water tank doesn’t have a tight-fitting lid or if it isn’t insulated.
- Drain hosepipes after use and keep out of direct sunlight. Flush through for a couple of minutes before filling paddling pools etc.
- Legionella favours stagnant water, so try to ensure there are no places in your home where water can be still.
- Report any rust or unusual matter flowing from your taps or showers.
