Staying safe in your home

Preventing Legionella

Legionella is a bacterium that can be found in hot and cold water systems if they are not managed properly and can cause illness (Legionnaires’ disease).

Inspection and testing

• All communal blocks and independent living schemes that are owned/managed by us are subject to a Legionella risk assessment by a competent person every two years.
• The council will undertake any works needed and put measures in place to control any risk identified in the assessment.
• When a council home becomes empty (void), we will drain down the water system and then safely refill it at the start of a new tenancy.

Individual council homes usually do not need routine legionella risk assessments as they are considered low risk due regular water use.

How you can help

• Keep the temperature of the water heater at a minimum of 60 °C.
• If you’re going away for a while (e.g. on holiday), turn your water off at the main stop cock before you leave and run the water through to drain the pipes – this will prevent water stagnating in pipes and tanks and reduce the risk of leaks and bursts.
• On your return, turn the water back on and run the taps and showers for a few minutes before using them.
• Regularly clean and disinfect showerheads, especially if they are not used very often.

If you notice discoloured water or unusual smells, report this immediately to the Housing Maintenance Team on 0800 111 4484.