For the most part, compliance tasks for Legionella control and more general water safety have remained very similar over the years. More recently, with the integration of remote monitoring technology, some core tasks have been vastly improved.
Monthly temperature monitoring is a major component of any water safety plan. These checks are a mandatory part of the health and safety compliance laid out by the HSE in order to protect against the dangers posed by Legionella bacteria.
The importance of these measures is to ensure that the water temperatures throughout the system are within the acceptable range. An oversight with this approach is that while performing these checks on a monthly basis will meet compliance, there’s a window where temperatures might fall into a range that encourages the growth of the bacteria.
Improved Temperature Monitoring & Real-Time Alerts
A new wave of remote monitoring devices is aiming to combat this issue of intermittent compliance and inaccurate readings. Designed with a fit and forget style of approach, devices like our L8 Remote can be installed wherever required and provide real-time coverage of the water system temperatures.
A clear benefit of this approach is that should a temperature ever fall into dangerous territory, you’re quickly alerted and can take actions to correct the issue and prevent further problems arising.
As well as the alerts for unexpected issues, the constant monitoring generates an overall portrait of activity within the water system. Using this you’ll be able to identify any times or activities that might be contributing to fluctuations in temperatures and set about correcting them.
Keep Track of Water Usage
Taking temperatures isn’t the only feature provided by remote monitoring units like these, a common secondary feature is monitoring water flow and usage. Initially, this might not seem like that much of a benefit, but it can be used to further improve both your control measures and environmental impact.
Another element of Legionella control is preventing water from stagnating and while this is primarily achieved through day-to-day use of the system, changes in routine can happen and cause outlets to used less frequently.
These little-used outlets offer a perfect environment for the bacteria to thrive and can easily go overlooked. However, digital monitoring systems can keep a record of when the outlet was last used and if it exceeds the limit of 7 days, the system will issue a prompt to flush the outlet.
On the subject of outlet flushing and saving water, there’s no hard or fast rule for how long an outlet needs to be flushed. The guideline rule for this is either until the temperature stabilises (should be within 2 minutes) or failing that, run the outlet for a maximum of 5 minutes.
Failing to regularly flush outlets is a common mistake, but if monitoring devices are installed, regular reminders for flushing can be utilised to improve protection, while providing auditable records of improvement.
See the Benefits for Yourself
As forward-thinking members of the water safety industry, we are eager to offer the latest and greatest solutions. So we’re launching a remote monitoring platform – L8 Remote – to help you improve your control measures.
Check our product pages for further information and find out how our system can benefit you.
