Water Sampling

Here at Acorn Safety Services, we offer a comprehensive water sampling and legionella testing service to help you manage water quality and control legionella bacteria in your systems. Our team of legionella experts can provide you with legionella risk assessments, sampling plans, site surveys, laboratory testing and clear interpretation of results.

If you are responsible for the management of water systems, you must understand the risks from legionella and other waterborne bacteria and the potential for serious illness, including Legionnaires’ disease. Water sampling and legionella testing are vital to confirm that your control regime is working and that your water systems are not posing a risk to people’s health.

Where results indicate an issue, our team of experts can work with you to develop a practical remedial and control strategy. Our recommendations are tailored to each individual site and take into account the type of water system, the level of risk and the resources available.

Water sampling and testing are just one part of managing legionella and other water quality risks. Our team can also provide you with comprehensive training on all aspects of legionella control, result interpretation and ongoing monitoring, delivered on-site or at our training centre.

What is Water Sampling for Legionella?

Water sampling for legionella involves taking representative water samples, in sterilised bottles (with sodium thiosulphate where necessary), and sending them to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for analysis. The laboratory identifies the presence or absence of legionella bacteria in the water sample, along with the bacterial count (cfu/L) and, where required, the legionella species present.

As part of our service, we do not just hand over a lab report. We explain what the numbers mean in plain English, how they relate to HSE guidance and what actions, if any, are required.

Which water systems may require water sampling and legionella testing?

• Cooling water systems, cooling towers and evaporative condensers
• Hot and cold water systems
• Safety showers, sprinklers and vehicle wash systems
• Fountains and water features
• Spa pools and hot tubs
• Spray humidifiers, misters, air washers and wet scrubbers
• Any other system containing water in which legionella could grow and be released in aerosol droplets

Water Sampling & Testing Services

Water sampling and legionella testing should be undertaken when confirmation of the effectiveness of your control regime is needed, or where there is concern that legionella bacteria may be present.

You should consider water sampling and legionella testing when:

• A control regime’s limits, such as temperature or disinfectant concentration, are not always consistently achieved.
• There is a high-risk area or a place where there is a population with increased susceptibility, e.g. healthcare premises such as care homes.
• A water system is suspected or identified in a case or outbreak of legionellosis.
• A water system is being treated with biocides and hot water is stored or distributed at lower temperatures.

It is recommended that water sampling and legionella testing are only undertaken by competent persons who have had sufficient training and understand how to plan sampling and interpret results.