Water Wise Services LTD

28/05/2026

What to know about Legionnaires’ disease after deadly London outbreaks

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/what-to-know-about-legionnaires-disease-after-deadly-london-outbreaks

Health officials are reminding residents how Legionnaires’ disease spreads as temperatures rise.

13/05/2026

Is Compliance Software The Answer? In Short No.

Over the last 20 years we have tried just about every Legionella compliance software package there is and we found that every single one of them fell well short of what we expected and in meeting the requirements of the HSE's ACOP L8.

A site specific risk assessment is designed to achieve site specific outcomes. We found that in nearly every case the "compliance" software applied blanket measures rather than taking into account the individual risks and the tasks at each site.

Most of the packages we have used allow for the scheduling of tasks such as temperature monitoring but failed to understand or cope with anything other than monthly scheduling.

We found that most if not all of the compliance software packages we have come across are overly expensive, complicated to use, mislead customers (relating to the required measures) and increase costs without reducing any risks.

09/05/2026

Landlords have NOT been given new Legionella responsibilities. The headline is factually wrong and the contents of the article are misleading.

Phases such as "It is now a legal duty for landlords to manage the risk of infection." This has been a legal duty since the release of the ACOP L8 in 2013.

In terms of Legionella nothing has changed for landlords. All that has changed is the investigation and enforcement powers of local authorities, many of which have been in place since the Housing & Planning Act of 2016.

Reading the "article" you have to question it's motives as the purpose of the article appears to be selling a single businesses product and not reporting factual information.

A new platform, Legionella Guard, offering e-learning to help landlords understand their responsibilities and store evidence of compliance has been…

01/05/2026

Landlords - Don't Get Caught Out. Since the Renters Rights Act was annouced we have seen a number of advertisements and misleading articles in relation to Legionella.

In terms of Legionella and rented properties nothing has really changed except local authorities now have more enforcement powers. Do not get tricked into carrying out measures that are not required.

Since November 2013 domestic rented properties have required a Legionella Risk Assessment carried out by a competent person. Legionella Risk Assessments are not like EPC's, they do not not require registering, storing or lodging with an official body.

Legionella Testing is not nor has it ever been a requirement. This was confirmed by the HSE in case 357. If you are being told you need to carry out Legionella testing without a risk assessment in place or a specific identified risk then you are are not being advised inline with the HSE's ACOP L8. We are seeing this mistake now commonly being made as a part of licensing schemes.

Regular Temperature Monitoring is not a practical measure for most domestic properties. HSG 274, part 2 allows for checks to be carried out during regular property inspections and maintenance visits. Do not get tricked by service providers who tell you that you need regularly monthly temperature monitoring when it is not required. In most cases the tenant just needs to be provided with simple information on the risks.

01/05/2026

This week we carried out a risk assessment on a public building which had recently being refurbished by a local authority, approved contractors and used public money for the work carried out.

The "Approved" contractor advertises their compliance with several pre-approved schemes but despite this our assessor found multiple compliance issues which did not meet the requirements of the HSE's ACOP L8, part G of the Building Regulations or the Water Regulations. Many of the installations did not follow the manufactures instructions.

Part of the aim of the refurbishment was to improve energy efficiency for the site but it is reported energy bills have more then doubled since the refurbishment.

Our assessors have highlighted ways in which the site can become compliant with the relevant guidance and regulations. We have also highlighted ways in which the installed systems can be more efficent.

The issues found at the site highlight the need to ensure the competency of contractors and that pre-approval schemes do not ensure the competency of the contractor or the standards of the work that is carried out.

22/04/2026

Do Not Pay More Than You Need Too.

Scottish Housing have just advertised an online Legionella course for £119 plus VAT per person with an E-Certificate.

Most of our CPD Accredited courses are less than half the cost and can be completed in your own time. And on completion of the course you get a CPD Accredited Course Certificate.

https://www.waterwiseservices.co.uk/legionella-training/

We offer a range of courses for anyone who needs to be able to demonstrate an under standing of the risks from Legionella bacteria and the measures required to minimise the risks.

22/04/2026

It is about time that health & safety advisors stop using blanket policies and procedures and use site specific assessments and measures. Blanket policies and measures reflect a lack of competency and increases costs.

We recently found a site where the businesses health & safety advisor insisted that ALL contractors were accredited by Constructionline to Gold standard with SSIP. Businesses like this use the "Common Assessment Standard" (CAS) which is designed for the construction industry and whilst they claim to adjust the criteria based on the work type and business size, in reality they do not. Nor is CAS applicable to non-construction-based businesses and by insisting that all suppliers meet CAS, all you have done is increased your costs.

So, what is the CAS? You will hear assessment bodies like Constructionline and CHAS claim that the standard is a requirement, this is not the case. The Common Assessment Standard is an industry agreed standard. It is not law, not a regulation or an approved document nor is it enforced by any recognised government body. CAS has been agreed by bodies like Build UK who represent the construction industry. They do not have any regulatory power or authority but try to influence government policy.

We are not saying CAS is wrong or should not be used but it should only be applied to what is was designed for, the construction industry.

The UK Cabinet Office endorse the standard but legally this does not make it law, regulation or a requirement. The cabinet office endorses the standard to ensure transparency and assess areas such as health and safety, modern slavery and sustainability IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

Businesses, facilities managers, health and safety advisors and others should not be insisting that all contractors meet CAS requirements as they do not apply outside of the construction industry.

But surely CAS can be applied to anything. No, it cannot. For example, you contract an account for the financial year end. The account does not use tools, have a supply line, supply products or use PPE. The accountant only supplies a service. The CAS assessment does not understand this as it is written for the construction industry. So, contractors that supply non-construction-based services cannot meet the CAS standards as CAS does not understand contractors may not have a supply chain, tools or use PPE as a part of their services. You really wouldn’t expect an account to be CAS verified, so why would you expect the person who delivers the stationary or water bottles to be CAS verified. Only construction related work should be CAS verified.

So why are you encouraged to have all contractors CAS verified by verification bodies and related organisations? The answer is simple. These accreditation bodies are profit making businesses and want to make money. By insisting on compliance standards, that are not applicable to all, you can see costs increased by as much as £1000 per contractor, per year.....

Only apply CAS where it should be applied.

17/04/2026

The Need for Competence - We were recently contacted by another Legionella service provider to carry out temperature monitoring for one of their customers. Despite the vast majority of the site not needing regular monthly monitoring the service provider still advised monthly monitoring of all outlets.

A site specific risk assessment is designed to achieve site specific outcomes including temperature monitoring frequencies. Excessive monitoring can be costly and is a waste of water which could be seen as a breach of the Water Regulations.

17/04/2026

Five figure out of court settlement for Legionella Case.

Gary Cushnie, from East Yorkshire, believes he contracted the disease at a hotel in Havana, Cuba.

09/04/2026

Ongoing Legionella outbreak highlights the need for a competent risk assessment and ongoing measures.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/health/uksa-issues-update-london-legionnaires-33742583

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating an unusual outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in London