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ATP System

Presence/Absence Coliform and E.coli

Dipslides

Industrial Legionella Test

Incubators

Compact Dry

H10 Anti Legionella Shower Head

The routine monitoring of bacteria in water systems is an essential part of testing applications.

Waterborne diseases and contaminants are usually difficult to detect and therefore indicator organisms are used to determine the general water quality.

In industrial water treatment the legislation regarding microbiological testing of cooling water is almost entirely concerned with the control of Legionellosis (illnesses caused by exposure to legionella bacteria: Legionnaires’ disease, Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever). In the past 15 years over 40,000 cases (3,000 deaths) of Legionellosis have been reported in Europe and an estimated 8,000 to 18,000 cases a year occur in the US.

Practical advice on the requirements of the legislation is given in an approved code of practice “Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8)” (HSE Books, 2000). Microbiological testing of both make-up and cooling waters is an essential part of compliance with the ACOP and the associated legislation.

Water samples are tested to determine general bacterial numbers, referred to as the total viable count (TVC) of aerobic bacteria, and expressed as count per millilitre.

• Cooling waters should be tested on a weekly basis using dip-slides (or similar) and a limit of 10,000 colony-forming units (CFU) per millilitre indicates that the system is under control. If the TVC of CFU exceeds this level or is unusually high, a further dip-slide should be taken and a water sample submitted to an UKAS accredited laboratory for examination.
• Make-up waters should have their TVC analysed on a quarterly basis.

Sampling for legionella bacteria should be undertaken on (at least) a quarterly basis and samples submitted to an UKAS accredited laboratory for analysis. A count of 100 legionella bacteria (or fewer) indicates that the water system is under control.

Managing the bacterial contamination will also control corrosion, scaling and bio-fouling leading to a more efficient system.

Dipslides or ATP testing are normally used for weekly and quarterly testing. These and other products are available in this section along with other tests for water quality in areas such as drinking water, leisure industry (i.e. swimming pools) and others.