Frequently Asked Questions

Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the bacterium Legionella Pneumophila, plus related bacteria, and is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia which can affect ANYBODY. It is most commonly contracted by the inhalation of legionella bacteria from breathable droplets produced by aerosols.. The collective term used to cover the group of diseases caused by Legionella bacteria is Legionellosis.

To put it succinctly, yes it does. The first step in the control and management of Legionella is to undertake a Legionella Risk Assessment. Any building with a water system present should have a Legionella risk assessment undertaken by a competent person. Our risk assessments will identify all areas of your water system and highlight the risks within it. We will then determine the level of risk on your premises and provide a control and management programme to eliminate or control all hazards identified.

Yes, of course. We can offer a total risk analysis and Legionella control programme for premises owners and managers as almost all water systems pose a risk of contamination from legionella bacteria. Although all water systems must be carefully monitored, it is especially crucial that larger complex water systems with significant risk factors like cooling towers, spa pools and jacuzzis etc are monitored as they produce aerosols.

Thermostatic mixing valves, or TMVs were designed to eliminate the risks of scalding. They are fitted to the hot and cold pipes and mix hot and cold water to ensure that the hot water temperature is not too hot for people to touch. They should be fitted in all premises where occupants or visitors are very young, very old or have learning difficulties.

TMVs operate in the following way.
• A safe water temperature is determined and then pre-set by the installer. (usually between 39°c and 43°c to help mitigate the threat of legionella bacteria growing).
• Cold water enters one side of the valve and hot water enters the other.
• A thermal element inside the valve mixes the hot and cold water volumes so that it is supplied at the outlet at the pre-set temperature
The strainers inside of the valve can trap sediment and debris and must be serviced annually or as per manufacturers guidelines. Our qualified engineers are able to isolate the source of water, strip down the valve to its different components and disinfect the internal strainers, before re-fitting them with minimal disruption to your premises.

If customers or residents of your premises include elderly, young people or people with learning difficulties then we would strongly recommend they are installed. Scalding injuries are extremely common and can be life changing in some circumstances.

Water testing is an integral aspect of guaranteeing the quality of water supplies throughout your premises water must meet a particular set of standards before it can be declared safe for drinking, cooking, food preparation or washing. Water testing for legionella bacteria and other colony counts is paramount to the safety of your premises

All of our tests take place in an independent impartial UKAS accredited laboratory.
Examples of analyses we conduct include but are not limited to water microbiology, total viable counts, coliform, E coli, enterococci, legionella, pseudomonas, the analysis of hydrocarbons in potable water and testing of water quality in closed circuit heating systems
We also offer an extensive scope of water chemistry tests, including those to detect alkalinity, pH, total hardness and elements such as calcium, sodium, iron, nickel, fluoride, nitrate and lead.
After the results are generated, we issue test certificates in hard copy, e-copy or via our online portal.