Hot and cold water services account for the majority of identified cases of legionnaires’ disease in the

UK. This is a form of pneumonia which particularly affects those who are susceptible due to age, illness, immuno-suppression or smoking. Inhaling airborne droplets or particles containing viable Legionella, small enough to travel deep into the lungs and be deposited in the alveoli, causes infection. Other types of disease associated with Legionella bacteria have also been identified, such as Pontiac and Lochgoilhead fever. Widespread in small quantities within natural water sources, the bacteria present few problems until man-made environments, such as Cooling Towers and Hot & Cold Water Services provide the ideal conditions for multiplication and dissemination. A particular problem in this context is biofilm, i.e. a community of bacteria and other micro-organisms, embedded in a protective layer with entrained debris attached to a surface. As well as acting as a kind of refuge for bacteria, biofilm will tend to leak pathogenic micro-organisms back into the water supply.

Until now the only way to protect  against  Legionella has been to raise the temperature of the water in the domestic water system to at least 60°C, as dictated by the Health & Safety Executive in its directive HS(G)70, and to clean the tanks on a regular basis.

This presents a number of problems:

q       Raising the water temperature to 60°C is expensive – in the absence of Legionella, 50°C would be the ideal temperature - and installing mixing valves for each tap is not cheap either!

q       It’s dangerous -  customers/patients/visitors are liable to scald themselves, and sue  you if they do

q       Tank cleaning is generally recognised as ineffectual, because of the problems of immediate recontaminatio 

And a  recent BSRIA report, Technical Note 02/98, has indicated that the current approach – disinfection of water storage tanks and maintaining the calorifier temperature at 60° - does not guarantee a sterile water system.

However, following the recent publication of the HSE document ‘The control of Legionellosis in Hot & Cold Water Systems’, there is now an HSE approved alternative to raising the temperature i.e. the constant dosing of proven biocides into the water supply, which is where GeoSIL comes in. 

Advantages of using GeoSIL in Hot & Cold Water Systems

q       Full compliance with Health & Safety regulations including Legionella control

q       Avoidance of scalding temperatures. Hot water may be distributed at 48°C - 50°C due to the Legionella control provided by GeoSIL .

q       No more tank cleaning required. Tank cleaning is both expensive and ineffective, since re-infection can occur immediately. 

q       Improved water quality and toilet area odours are significantly reduced

q       Peace of mind. Constant dosing and regular monitoring will ensure that your hot & cold water system conforms to Water Management Legislation

q       Finally, the cost of installing a Xebec Constant Dosing System is paid for out of energy savings and the elimination of tank & showerhead cleanings