Legionella
Certain types of refrigeration equipment use sprays of water to cool the system. A germ called Legionella can grow in this water if it is not controlled properly.
This could then infect people within hundreds of metres causing serious disease - usually like a bad case of flu but sometimes worsening to a fatal type of pneumonia. To help avoid this happening the Council or the HSE inspect such equipment, if it has been notified, to ensure proper maintenance is continuing.
The Council would also be involved in any investigations of legionella related disease outbreaks. There are a few hundred diagnosed cases per year in the UK. Many of these turn out to have been caught abroad from a tourist hotel in a hot climate. Some are from a wet cooling tower they have been near. And some turn out to have been from the patients own home.
The germ can also grow in domestic water systems, so protect yourself:
- Set the thermostat for any stored hot water to at least 60 C
- Ensure that hot water reaching the furthest tap gets to at least 50 C within a minute
- Use or flush all outlets regularly. So if you have a shower you rarely use, run it for a couple of minutes every fortnight to stop the water stagnating
- Clean out the cold tank every year or two and then make sure it is properly covered and insulated. Make sure your cold water is kept below 20 C
New research in 2010 showed that legionella can be caught from the windscreen wash in your car if you just use plain water. So always use the proper additive as this helps kill the germs as well as stop the water freezing.
The Health Protection Agency website and Health & Safety Executive website have more advice on this topic.
