Housing Water Hygiene and Legionella Policy

How we manage water hygiene and controls the risk of Legionella bacteria in our council homes and residential buildings that we own and manage.

The purpose of this policy is to protect residents, staff, contractors and visitors by ensuring water systems are maintained safely and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

It sets out how we identify, assess, manage and monitor risks to ensure our water systems remain safe. The policy covers:

  • regular water hygiene and Legionella risk assessments
  • monitoring and inspection programmes for water systems
  • management of water hygiene risks in empty properties
  • contractor competence and performance requirements
  • storage and management of water hygiene records
  • property alterations that may affect water systems
  • links to asbestos and fire safety requirements
  • quality assurance, auditing and compliance monitoring
  • staff training and responsibilities for managing water hygiene risks