Mitigating Legionella Risks in Modern Plumbing Systems
Ensuring your building’s water systems remain safe and compliant requires proactive strategies and expert maintenance. As a family-owned industry leader, Pipe Testing Services is dedicated to delivering exceptional pipe testing solutions and comprehensive water system management. While cooling towers often capture the spotlight, the hidden dangers within complex internal plumbing systems demand equal vigilance.
Pipe Testing Services can advise on, and resolve issues like;
- Corrosion
- Scale build-up
- Low flow zones
- Inconsistent temperatures.
These issues enable conditions for Legionella to multiply within potable water systems. Only proactive maintenance and water system management can help in reducing these hazards.
Understanding Legionella Risks in Plumbing Systems
Legionella bacteria can flourish in environments where water quality is compromised. In large facilities, older materials and intricate pipe networks create perfect conditions for bacterial growth. Key risk factors include:
- Corrosion & Material Degradation: Over time, materials like iron, steel, and copper can corrode. This process releases essential nutrients (e.g. iron) that promote bacterial proliferation.
- Scale Build-up & Sediment: Mineral deposits and internal scale not only reduce water flow but also offer a protected haven for Legionella to thrive.
- Stagnant Water & Low Flow Zones: Areas with poor circulation—such as dead legs and infrequently used outlets—limit the distribution of disinfectant residuals, creating hotspots for bacterial growth.
- Temperature Fluctuations: Inadequate insulation and long piping runs can lead to inconsistent temperatures, often settling between 20°C and 50°C—the optimal range for Legionella proliferation.
- Hidden Reservoirs: Water storage tanks, strainers, filters, and biofilm accumulation further compound the risks by providing ample space for bacteria to colonise before being dispersed throughout the system.
Once Legionella colonises parts of the internal water system, the bacteria can spread throughout the network, released whenever taps and showers are activated.
How Plumbing Systems Promote Legionella Proliferation
Large, complex plumbing networks are inherently vulnerable due to their design and operational challenges. Consider the following factors:
Aging Infrastructure:
Older pipes and fittings may suffer from internal corrosion, releasing compounds that serve as nutrients for bacterial colonies.Scale and Sediment Accumulation:
Build-up inside pipes not only reduces flow but creates micro-environments where Legionella can hide from routine disinfection.Inconsistent Water Circulation:
Areas with minimal use—like guest rooms, decorative fountains, or remote outlets—are particularly prone to stagnation, allowing disinfectant levels to drop.Temperature Variability:
Over-long piping runs and inadequate insulation can cause hot water to cool and cold water to warm, both contributing to ideal growth conditions for Legionella.
Proactive Solutions & Best Practices
Maintaining the integrity of your water systems requires a proactive approach, combining design best practices and regular maintenance. Effective strategies include
- Eliminate dead legs and capped pipes to prevent stagnation.
- Insulate tanks and piping to maintain stable temperatures.
- Use thermostatic mixing valves and PID-controlled systems to ensure consistent water temperatures.
- Conduct routine flushing of seldom-used outlets to prevent stagnation.
- Schedule comprehensive inspections using advanced pipe cameras to identify problem areas.
- Clean and disinfect water tanks, strainers, filters, and mixing valves regularly.
- Replace ageing system components proactively to prevent failures.
- Utilise modern cleaning and relining methods to remove corrosion and scale build-up.
- Apply chlorine dioxide or other effective disinfectants to maintain optimal residual levels throughout the system.
- Develop custom flushing programmes tailored to each facility’s unique water usage patterns.
Innovative Technology & Services by Pipe Testing Services
PTS offers a suite of modern solutions designed to safeguard your water systems:
Nationwide Pipe Testing & Inspection:
With extensive coverage across the UK, our services include hydrostatic pressure testing, chlorination, flow surveys, and water tank commissioning.Legionella Risk Management:
From comprehensive risk assessments to targeted remedial works, our team helps identify and mitigate hazards before they become critical.Cutting-Edge Diagnostic Tools:
We employ advanced pipe cameras, temperature mapping, and remote system monitoring to deliver pinpoint accuracy and actionable insights.Tailored Maintenance Programmes:
We understand that every facility is unique. Our customised approach ensures that your water system is maintained to the highest standards, ensuring both compliance and safety.
Critical Plumbing System Maintenance
To minimise the risk of Legionella, facilities need comprehensive maintenance programmes for their internal plumbing. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidelines on best practices in their Approved Code of Practice L8. At PTS, we can help alleviate these issues, and carry out remedial works on plumbing systems – here are a few of the areas in which we help client’s daily:
- Remove scale and corrosion. Techniques like pipe relining help stop further build-up while cleaning removes existing scale. This eliminates nutrients and hiding places for Legionella.
- Regularly flush infrequently used taps, showers, etc. Stagnation allows Legionella to thrive, so prompt flushing maintains flow.
- Insulate pipes properly to prevent heat loss and temperature fluctuations that enable bacterial growth.
- Survey systems to identify problem areas like dead legs and remove them. Dead legs have no flow and should be cut out.
- Clean and disinfect water tanks, strainers, filters and TMVs which can harbour bacteria.
- Maintain optimal residual disinfectant levels (like chlorine) within target ranges throughout all system piping.
- Replace ageing system components like valves, pumps and tanks proactively to prevent failures that compromise water quality and flow.
- Document all maintenance activities thoroughly. Logs prove to auditors that control measures are being implemented properly.
How Pipe Testing Services
Can Help Maintain Plumbing Systems
With over 20 years’ of experience maintaining client plumbing systems across the UK, Pipe Testing Services offers complete solutions for controlling Legionella risks:
- Testing water quality and performing risk assessments to identify hazards
- Pipe cleaning, relining and disinfection to remediate underlying issues
- Temperature mapping to pinpoint areas with improper heating that enable bacterial growth
- Custom flushing programmes tailored to each facility’s water usage patterns
- Supplying effective plumbing disinfectants like chlorine dioxide
- Providing log books and recordkeeping for compliance audits
Don’t allow plumbing hazards to go unchecked – contact Pipe Testing Services to ensure your water systems are safe. As leaders in Legionella control, we use best practices and the latest technology to remediate risks. Healthier plumbing means healthier facilities.
Don’t wait for bacteria like Legionella to take hold – be proactive. Contact Pipe Testing Services for a full water system assessment. Our experts can survey your plumbing network, identify hazards, and create a maintenance plan tailored to your needs.
We provide specialist tools like pipe cameras for detailed internal inspection. Our cutting-edge techniques like chlorine dioxide disinfection and remote system monitoring keep clients compliant and safe
Contact PTS today to have one of our experts assess your cooling towers and risks. We can develop a cost-effective maintenance plan compliant with all UK guidance.
Phone: 01922 451646
Email: enquiries@pipetestingservices.co.uk.
Address: Unit 27 Birchbrook Industrial Estate, Shenstone, Lichfield, Staffs, WS14 0DJ
FAQs
The HSE recommends testing water at least quarterly from the most distal outlets and other high risk locations. More frequent testing may be needed if results are positive.
Store hot water above 60°C and distribute it above 50°C to control Legionella growth. Lower temperatures enable proliferation.
TMVs should be inspected and tested at least annually to ensure they are operating within the correct temperature range.
Yes, Legionella is sometimes detected in public water mains. Facilities should sample incoming water to monitor for hazards.
Preventing growth involves ongoing control measures. Eradication requires temporarily raising temperatures, flushing, disinfecting, and rebuilding the microbiome.