The case, which took place in 2018 put vulnerable residents at risk of contracting Legionnaires’ Disease and culminated in the housing company responsible being fined £900,000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and ordered to pay over £11,400 in costs. Following the testing of the sheltered accommodation’s water systems, all 44 samples came back positive for Legionella resulting in the residents needing to be evacuated.

Now, Wilo wants installers, specifiers and building owners to cautiously control the risks of Legionella bacteria to prevent similar situations arising in the future and to better safeguard people.

Andy Thompson, national sales manager at Wilo said: “On a positive note, nobody was hurt in this case thanks to swift evacuation following the test results, we’ve seen how dangerous Legionnaires’ Disease can be in serious cases that are reported. The industry is also concerned about mild outbreaks which go unnoticed as exposure presents similar to cold or flu type symptoms, yet it can be avoided if plumbing systems are designed and maintained correctly.

“It’s possible that many plumbing systems across both residential and commercial properties are potentially in very similar situations, especially if they are older or have been added to or modified over the years. Here, installers are encouraged to cut off any dead legs to prevent water stagnation, along with insulating pipes and tanks to ensure further safety.”

The market’s latest advanced, contemporary circulator pumps are designed to keep temperature levels stable and move water around to avoid it becoming stagnant. Wilo’s Yonos PICO-Z range is built to prevent Legionella bacteria from breeding in homes, multiple occupancy buildings and light commercial properties.

“Today’s secondary hot water circulator pumps are not costly to install and, thanks to their energy saving features, are more efficient and cheaper to run than older fixed speed bronze pumps” Andy continued, “They are easy to fit, and our products are packed with clever features to make the job of commissioning them easy.

“It is important to note that fitting these products is only part of the solution. Plumbers and installers should thoroughly check every aspect of an existing hot water system to make sure it’s fit for purpose, as opposed to simply turning on the tap every so often to flush out Legionella, by which point, if bacteria has bred in the pipework, then it is too late.”