Water safety
If your home has a cold water storage tank, we’ll check your water outlets at least every two years to make sure everything is working safely.
These checks help us prevent problems such as Legionella, a bacteria that can cause Legionnaires’ disease — a serious lung infection.
Access to your home
To keep your water system safe, we need access to your home so our engineers can check your water tank and pipework. We’ll contact you at least a month before your water safety check is due to arrange a convenient appointment.
What does the check involve?
The engineer will:
- test the water pipes and tank in your home.
- check temperatures of the water.
- check if any plumbing work is needed.
What you can do to keep your water safe
You can take a few simple steps to keep your water pipes and tank clean and safe:
- Run your taps every week, especially in rooms you don’t use often.
- Keep hot water above 50°C — this helps kill harmful bacteria.
- Report any issues straight away, such as hot water not heating properly or cold water that feels warm for more than a minute.
- Clean your showerheads regularly to stop bacteria building up.
- If you’ve been away for more than two weeks, run all your taps for five minutes before using the water.