East Suffolk Council
Water safety
A guide to Legionella in your home.
What is Legionella?
Legionella is a type of bacteria that is common in natural water sources like lakes and rivers. It can become a health problem when it grows and multiplies in systems like showerheads, taps, hot water tanks and heaters if the conditions are favourable. People can contract Legionnaires disease, which is a form of pneumonia, when they breath in small droplets of water in the air that contain the Legionella bacteria.
Dos and don’ts
Do - Flush through showers and hot and cold taps for 2 minutes following a period of non-use (i.e. when you move in, after a long hospital stay, after you have been on holiday or if a room is not in regular use).
Do - Keep all shower heads and taps clean and free from a buildup of lime scale, mould, or algae growth (regular cleaning every 3 months will help sterilise and kill any bacteria).
Do - When flushing showers, remove the shower head and lower the hose into the bath. If you are unable to remove the head, wrap it with a cloth to make sure there is no spray that you could inhale.
Do - If you are not using showers or taps regularly, make sure you flush them through at least once a week.
Do - Turn taps on slowly so that you do not splash water, as this might release water droplets into the air.
Don't - Adjust the hot water on your boiler system.
Don't - Adjust your hot water tank temperature to under 60°C as this is not hot enough to kill legionella bacteria.
Am I at risk of catching Legionnaires Disease?
There is no need to worry, Legionella is very rare in domestic properties, and is easily preventable by putting in place some simple control measures, which we have included above. It is also not infectious so it cannot be passed from person to person. However, there is a possibility that when certain conditions exist in the home it increases your risk. Water that is between 20 - 45°C (lukewarm to hot) is a suitable breeding ground for bacteria to grow. This can happen in large water tanks in lofts that are not used much, or pipes that go to a tap that is hardly ever turned on. We do not monitor water hygiene within your home, so please follow the advice in this leaflet.
Further information about Legionella from the Health and Safety Executive.