Water hygiene
The risk
Water is essential to life but can also harbour a bacteria called Legionella that can make you very ill or even cause death. The risk of legionella bacteria in most of our homes is very low but the way we use, heat and store water can increase that risk.
Legionella is spread through aerosol droplets from shower heads, spray taps and sprinklers. You cannot get sick from drinking water with legionella bacteria in it.
The law
Managing the risk from legionella bacteria is required by all landlords and employers under health and safety law.
This includes assessing the risk and then taking appropriate action to make the risk as low as reasonably practicable.
What we do
As your landlord we are required to complete legionella risk assessments for your home and communal spaces.
For most homes we can assess the risk based on our records of your water system - including your type of water heater and if you have a shower.
Where there are shared water services - such as in some high-rise blocks or in communal lounges - we instruct a competent contractor to assess the risk. We then arrange for a routine inspection, testing and servicing as required from the risk assessment.
All of our empty homes are checked and flushed regularly and before being let.
Where we have installed safety devices to reduce the temperature of hot water - for example in extra care or supported housing - we will complete routine clean and inspections of these valves. This means our contractors will be coming into your home.
What you need to do
There are four simple rules to keeping yourself safe from legionella bacteria:
- Keep your water hot – keep your water storage heater above 60°C (electrical water heaters) or above 50°C for gas water heaters.
- Keep your water cold – check your mains water supply is cold and report any problems to us
- Keep your water clean - regularly clean and descale your taps and shower heads. If you notice they are developing more scale or debris that you can’t remove, please report this to us.
- Keep your water moving – water becoming stagnant will give bacteria the chance to grow so make sure you use all the taps in your home regularly, even outdoor taps. If you are away for more than a week, ensure all your taps and showers are flushed through before you use them on your return.
For more information, see our safety leaflet or contact us via housingrepairsonline@birmingham.gov.uk or by phoning 0121 2163330.
Be safe, let us in to do the work we have to do.
Page last updated: 30 April 2025