Water hygiene
We work hard to keep water safe in all our homes. This includes checking for risks like legionella.
What is legionella?
Legionella is a type of bacteria. It’s usually found in soil and rivers, but it can also grow in pipes and water tanks inside buildings.
If someone breathes in tiny drops of water with this bacteria, it can cause a serious illness called Legionnaires’ disease. This is a kind of lung infection.
Click here to find out more about Legionnaires’ disease (this is a link to another website).
Legionella grows best when:
- Water is between 20°C and 45°C
- There are things in the water it can feed on, like rust, algae or limescale.
Who keeps your water safe?
We work with United Utilities to make sure we keep your water supply safe. There are also some things that you can do in your own homes to reduce the risk.
| Regenda | United Utilities | You |
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We work with a registered water hygiene contractor who carry out all our water hygiene checks We regularly visit our sheltered and supported accommodation to make sure we are keeping our water safe We complete a Legionella Risk Assessment every 2 years to review the water risk at all sites We complete water temperature checks, servicing and shower head cleaning where required We service all Cold Water Storage Tanks, Water Boosters and Pumping Stations. |
United Utilities are responsible for your water meter and for taking meter readings. United Utilities are responsible for any pipework bringing water into the building. United Utilities are responsible for carrying out repairs and maintenance to the pipework and meter. |
We ask all residents to frequently use taps and showers to stop build up of stagnant water. If there is a tap in your home that you do not use, please run this tap regularly for five minutes to flush the system and reduce the risk of legionella and other harmful bacteria. |
For more details about legionella, click here to visit the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website (this link is a link to another website).