The importance of water safety
Compliance Administrator Beth shares information on water safety to help keep you safe at home.
Water safety
Why do I need to look after my water supply?
What is legionella?
What about water safety checks?
Some homes have a small risk of legionella if the water supply isn’t looked after. We carry out a risk assessments on these homes every two years to make sure the supply is healthy but here are some easy ways you can help to keep water in your home safe.
Legionella is a bacterial that can develop in water. When the temperature is between 20-45 degrees and there are nutrients available bacteria can grow, spread and become unsafe.
We regularly check and manage water systems at schemes that have a small risk of legionella, to make sure your supply remains safe for you to use.
Tips to help you manage your water supply at home
- Run your taps weekly
- Keep hot water temperatures above 50 degrees
- Report hot water system failures if cold water comes out warm for over a minute
- Make sure your showerheads are kept clean and free from limescale
- Report any unused pipework
- Flush all taps for five minutes before use if your home is left unoccupied for over two weeks
- Get in touch with your water provider if it has a strange smell
