Scientific services

Legionella management

What is legionella?

Legionella bacteria are common and can be found in natural water sources like rivers and reservoirs, usually in small amounts. They can survive in different conditions and have been found in water temperatures between 6⁰C and 60⁰C. Legionella doesn’t grow below 20⁰C and can't live in water above 60⁰C. However, they can stay inactive in cool water and start growing when the water gets warm enough. The best temperatures for legionella to grow are between 25⁰C and 45⁰C. When legionella is around 37⁰C, it becomes more likely to cause infection than when it's in cooler water.

Legionella bacteria also need nutrients to grow. These can come from things already in the water system, like algae, amoebae, and other bacteria. The presence of sediment, sludge, scale, and biofilms in the system can help legionella grow. Biofilms are thin layers of micro-organisms that form a slime on surfaces in contact with water. Sludge, scale, and biofilms can protect legionella from heat and chemicals by providing a shield.

We're members of the Legionella Control Association (LCA) and provide a wide range of services to manage legionella activities. Our services include risk assessments, regular monitoring, servicing schedules and remedial works like tank cleaning and disinfecting systems.

Our risk assessment reports are UKAS accredited, and we deliver them to a very short timescale. After we complete a risk assessment, we create a monitoring regime. This plan is added to our Zetasafe software, which you can access online 24/7. The software helps us track the work and makes sure everything is done on time. All relevant assets have a barcode, and our team scans these barcodes with smartphones to record the work and results. We do tasks like temperature monitoring, flushing pipes, sampling, shower cleaning, TMV servicing and tank inspections. You can log into the portal anytime to check the progress. You'll also get automatic reports of failures, non completion of activities and more. We can also provide training on how to use the Zetasafe portal.

If any tests show a problem with your water system, we can take action right away, like additional flushing, disinfecting, or cleaning tanks. Everything we do is recorded in the portal so you have a clear record of all the work. If you need special services like softener maintenance, we can arrange that through our trusted partners.

We know that some clients prefer to handle parts of the process themselves. We're flexible and can tailor our services to fit your needs and budget.

A poorly managed water system can be very dangerous and might cause a potential legionella outbreak. This could harm your employees, visitors, or the public. It could also damage your reputation and cost a lot to fix. By being an experience and reliable service provider, we're here to help protect your business. We're proud to be members of the LCA, and we maintain our membership by passing strict site audits and showing that we have a quality system in place. This includes staff competency, equipment management, record-keeping, and quality control.

If your current provider isn’t a member of the LCA, you might want to ask them why.

All our staff are fully trained with City & Guilds qualifications and receive extensive hands-on in house training. They are easily identifiable in uniform and our liveried vehicles.

We've worked on large and complex sites, and we consistently achieve customer satisfaction scores of over 94%.

Our laboratory

Our central lab in Staines is UKAS accredited to meet ISO 17025 standards. Our team has graduates with degrees in subjects like chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology. The lab is also accredited to the Drinking Water Testing Specifications (DWTS), as required by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). We carry out over 200 different water tests, and 95% of the testing required by the DWI is done in-house. All of our staff are fully trained and competency checked for their skills under our UKAS-approved quality system. Across our three labs, we have about 40 scientists with a combined experience of over 450 years. We work with professional groups like the Royal Society of Biology and the Royal Society of Chemistry. We are also recognized as a CPD-approved employer and Employer Champion with the Science Council.

Our lab at Staines has four main departments: microbiology, cryptosporidium, organic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry. Each department can test different types of water, including:

• HTM Suites
• Drinking water
• Natural water
• Recreational water (Pools and spas)
• Bottled water

We process about 70,000 samples each year and run around 900,000 tests.

In 2024, we not only became the first water company in the UK to earn the ‘My Green Lab’ certification for sustainability, but we achieved the highest level of award possible.

We have a semi-independent quality control team that audits and checks our staff and procedures regularly to make sure we follow our quality system. We also take part in many external testing programs to check our performance. We consistently score over 96% in these schemes.

Clients can access their test results 24/7 through our secure online portal. The portal updates results every 15 minutes and automatically creates a downloadable PDF test certificate when all tests are completed. Clients can also run reports and download spreadsheets of their sample results.

Private Water Supplies

Water supplies from private sources that are not connected to the mains water supply, like boreholes, rivers, or springs, must follow the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016. These regulations require a documented risk assessment and regular sampling and testing for certain water supplies.

We can manage a monitoring program that meets all the regulations, and at the end of the year, provide a spreadsheet of the results in the format required by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). Clients can access their test results anytime through our secure online portal. The portal updates every 15 minutes and creates a downloadable PDF test certificate once all tests are completed. You can also run reports and download spreadsheets of multiple sample results.

We understand that some clients may want to handle certain tasks themselves, so we offer flexible services to fit each client's needs. We can provide a full private water supply service, including scheduling sampling, contacting property owners directly, and managing site visits or revisits in case of problems. Alternatively, you may only need laboratory analysis of samples delivered to our depots.

All our vehicles are clearly branded, and staff wear identifiable uniforms, so property owners can easily recognise our team during site visits.

Sectors

Over the years, we've worked with businesses in many sectors across the country. This has given us experience with the unique challenges and rules that different industries face. Below are some examples of the main sectors we work with. However, we can adjust our services for any client, no matter their industry or operation.

Transport

In the transport industry, we work with airports and docks. We set up monitoring programs to deal with issues like dead legs and infrequently used outlets, which are common in large private water systems. We're used to handling the strict security and access rules at these sites and have worked in airside areas with the associated additional insurances. We also understand the need for flexibility on these sites, where we may need to change locations or reschedule visits due to incidents like security issues or system failures.

Film

We work with one of the biggest studios in the UK, covering a number of their sites. Large sites with many bathrooms and showers can have dead legs if not used, which may pose a risk to cast and crew. We understand that film studios are fast-paced, with facilities opening and closing at short notice based on filming schedules. We also know the importance of maintaining security and discretion when working around high-budget productions.

Education

We've worked with many schools that often have large facility networks and older infrastructure. We make sure all our staff have enhanced DBS clearance, which is important when working in schools. We can also send two-person teams for extra security. We're experienced in adjusting to school schedules and understand the importance of doing risk assessments and repairs outside of term time whenever possible.

Pharmaceuticals

We help several pharmaceutical companies make sure that their water systems are compliant with regulations.

Leisure and Festivals

We've worked at top leisure sites around the country, including theme parks and race tracks. Whether it's misting nozzles on rides or infrequently used shower outlets, we can carry out an extensive risk assessment to create a custom monitoring program for you. We work around the event schedules and understand the need for professionalism on sites with large public crowds. Our staff wear clearly marked uniforms and ID badges to stay identifiable. We also plan as much work as possible during low-occupancy or closed seasons. For short-term festivals, we complete testing before the event starts and can monitor water systems during the event if needed.

Local and Borough Councils

As a regulated water company, we work closely with councils, including environmental health officers. We understand that councils often face financial pressures, so we provide cost-effective solutions for their sampling and testing needs. We also help councils identify private water supplies and areas that may be at risk.

Food and Beverage

We work with food companies that have private boreholes and water storage systems to supply their fields and buildings. We regularly monitor these systems to make sure they meet compliance standards.

Contact us

Want to get in touch? ​ ​

Affinity Water Limited​

Affinity Water UK Laboratory​

The Causeway​

Staines​

Middlesex​

TW18 3BX​

Telephone: 01707 398580​

Email: enquiries.commerial@affinitywater.co.uk

Our accreditation is limited to those activities described on our UKAS schedule of accreditation, found here.