Can I Test For Legionella Myself ?

Whatever industry you work in, you will be asked to do a Legionella Risk Assessment and implement a water management plan. The assessment of Legionella risk is an important management procedure. It entails doing a thorough analysis of the dangers inherent in man-made water systems in order to identify and assess the probability of Legionella exposure.

Legionella testing is a standard aspect of managing, monitoring, and assessing risk in any facility: it verifies status and monitors the direct impact that controls, corrective action, or events outside of permissible range have on Legionella levels. Regular Legionella testing mitigates the potential health and legal concerns associated with disregarding this aspect of Legionella risk assessment.

The responsible person (also known as the duty holder) should be knowledgeable with the water system and any associated equipment in order to determine whether the system poses a risk. A simple risk assessment of a domestic property may suggest that the risks are low and that no further action is required, whereas more sophisticated systems may contain hazards that necessitate additional action.

To test your water for Legionella, you would traditionally collect a water sample, send it to a laboratory, and wait 7-10 days for the findings. However, advances in water testing technology have enabled scientists to develop a novel way for identifying Legionella in water. Legionella antigen testing can be done on-site and findings are available practically instantly. The good news is that antigen testing are so simple that anyone can perform them!

Using a well-established lateral flow test technique, the antigen self-test detects Legionella. Many medical tests employ the same technology to identify if a patient has Legionnaires' illness. The test functions similarly to a pregnancy test, except that it detects Legionella Serogroup 1 antigen rather than pregnancy indicators. It works by bonding colour indicators to Legionella antibodies printed on cellulose strips.

The antigen test gives the user a simple "yes" or "no" answer about the presence of Legionella in the water system. A single line on the test strip represents a negative result (Legionella not detected), while two lines represent a positive result (Legionella detected). The test can also be read and recorded using the Smartphone reader app, which is available for free download from the iStore.

People frequently believe that taking a self-test boosts their accountability. They argue that submitting the sample to a laboratory or hiring a third party to analyse the water supply is a manner of offloading responsibilities. The truth is that as a duty holder, you are responsible for ensuring the safety of your employees and the general public.

While landlords of domestic premises are required to assess legionella risk to guarantee tenant safety, the HSE states that this "does not need an in-depth, exhaustive study." Because of regular water usage and turnover, the dangers from hot and cold water systems are generally regarded as minor in most residential situations." This means that if your home is constantly occupied, the water in the pipes is less likely to provide the conditions for legionella bacteria to thrive. A property's domestic use ensures that there is flowing water that is either below 20oC or above 45oC. You only need to be concerned if the property is left uninhabited for an extended period of time, when water is likely to remain stagnant in the pipes - especially during the summer months, when temperatures may be high enough to incubate the germs.

When evaluating water systems, various visual warning signals, such as corrosion, scale, and silt, indicate a higher likelihood of Legionella bacteria present. There are various methods for testing for Legionella bacteria, and technology is always evolving. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, and the advantages and disadvantages of each should be thoroughly explained by a specialist who can provide recommendations based on the needs of your building and the type of water system it contains.

The water sample is then sent to a UKAS qualified laboratory, which will determine the presence or absence of Legionella, the bacterial count, and the Legionella species present. For correct results, water samples must be collected at the appropriate points within the water system and using the appropriate procedures. It is also critical that samples are transferred in the proper manner and timelines. Rapid swab-testing kits that detect Legionella in as little as 25 minutes are now commonly available. They are quite accurate at identifying the lethal Sero group 1 Legionella strain.

The ability to detect Legionella so fast allows for rapid remedial treatment, which can considerably lower the risk of human infection. While the rapid-swab approach is a useful self-test tool in the toolbox, it is not a replacement for a strong water testing programme and UKAS laboratory accreditation, and it can only presently detect Sero Group 1.