Understanding Legionella and How Our Products Help Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Understanding Legionella
2. The Tragic Case at HMP Lincoln
3. What is Legionella?
4. How Legionella Spreads
5. Preventing Legionella: The Role of Water Temperature
6. How Our Products Help Manage Legionella Risks
7. Expertise in Safe DHW Generation and Distribution
8. Conclusion

Introduction to Understanding Legionella

Legionella bacteria are a serious health threat that can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. The importance of managing Legionella risks was tragically highlighted by the case of Graham Butterworth, who died in December 2017 after contracting Legionnaires’ disease at HMP Lincoln. This case highlights the need for effective water management, especially in high-risk environments like prisons and hospitals.

The Tragic Case at HMP Lincoln

Graham Butterworth, a 71-year-old inmate, passed away after contracting Legionnaires’ disease while serving time at HMP Lincoln. Following his death, an investigation revealed that water samples from his cell and surrounding areas tested positive for Legionella bacteria. The investigation found that Amey Community Limited, the company responsible for facilities management at the prison, had failed to implement proper safety measures to control the risk of Legionella. Key failures included:

• Ignoring a risk assessment from 2016 that highlighted Legionella risks in the prison’s water systems.
• Failing to establish a written plan for controlling Legionella risks.
• Neglecting to monitor and maintain water temperatures, allowing the bacteria to multiply.

Consequently, Amey Community Limited have recently been fined £600,000 for its failure to manage Legionella risks, while also being ordered to pay £15,186.85 in costs.

What is Legionella?

Legionella is a type of bacteria that can cause severe illness, notably Legionnaires’ disease, alongside other respiratory illnesses such as Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever.

Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by inhaling small droplets of water contaminated with Legionella, which are often created by water systems like showers, taps, cooling towers, and air-conditioning units.

How Legionella Spreads

People contract Legionnaires’ disease when they inhale aerosolized water droplets containing Legionella bacteria, commonly found in natural water sources like rivers, ponds, and lakes, but they pose a risk to humans only when they grow in man-made water systems, such as:

• Cooling towers
• Hot and cold water systems in large buildings, hospitals, hotels, and leisure centres
• Spa pools and showers
• Evaporative condensers in industrial systems

The risk of Legionella bacteria increases in poorly maintained water systems, particularly when water temperatures are stored between 20°C and 45°C, which provide an ideal environment for bacterial growth. Without proper temperature control, bacteria can multiply rapidly. Additionally, stagnant water, biofilms, rust, and sludge can serve as nutrients, further supporting the growth of Legionella bacteria. This makes it essential to regularly maintain and monitor water systems to prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease.

Preventing Legionella: The Role of Water Temperature

Maintaining the correct temperature is essential for preventing Legionella. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines:

• Hot water should be stored at or above 60°C to kill Legionella.
• Cold water should be stored below 20°C to prevent bacterial growth.
• Water delivered to taps and showers should be a minimum of 50°C to kill the bacteria while being safe for use.

How Our Products Help Manage Legionella Risks

At Virdis Energy, we offer products designed to control water temperatures and prevent Legionella. Our GP Packaged DHW units are equipped with a standard secondary temperature setting of 10°C/60°C, in line with industry guidelines, ensuring that water systems in high-risk environments like prisons, hospitals, and schools are safely maintained.

Expertise in Safe DHW Generation and Distribution

We are experts in DHW generation and safe hot water distribution, with extensive experience in high-risk environments. Our solutions not only meet temperature requirements but also provide instantaneous DHW generation, ensuring safe water delivery without delays—critical in settings like prisons. Additionally, we specialize in energy-efficient DHW generation using Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), which produce hot water from lower temperature sources while maintaining water safety.

Conclusion

The tragic case at HMP Lincoln emphasizes the critical need for effective Legionella management, especially in environments with vulnerable individuals. By maintaining proper water temperatures and implementing regular monitoring and maintenance, Legionella outbreaks can be prevented. Choose Virdis Energy’s expert-driven DHW solutions to ensure the safety and health of all users.