Facilities urged to prioritise water safety after Legionella outbreak

According to recent reports, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is currently investigating a cluster of Legionnaires’ cases in North-West and South-West London. Though the majority of cases are reported as single, isolated cases, specialists from the public health body are trying to uncover the source of the disease.

Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal lung infection caused by inhaling droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria. Common sources of outbreaks include contaminated cooling towers, air conditioning systems, showers and taps that have not been properly maintained.

With the outbreak raising alarm, the UK’s leading Legionella testing authority, Hydrosense, is reminding facilities managers of the importance of rigorous water safety measures. This includes regular testing, temperature monitoring and disinfection procedures to reduce the risk to the public and ensure absolute best practice.

Greg Rankin, CEO at Hydrosense said: “Take a look at the recent number of high profile Legionella cases around the world, such as New York, and it’s clear that this is not an isolated incident.

“The reality is that Legionella isn’t a distant threat – it’s a growing public health risk. Thanks to a myriad of factors such as climate change, our aging infrastructure and evolving water patterns, Legionella has been on the ascent for a number of years. Highly-dense urban environments are particularly vulnerable due to the complexity of their water systems and the scope of exposure.”

Legionella bacteria thrive in standing water when nutrients are present and temperatures are between 20°C and 45°C. They remain dormant in temperatures below 20°C and cannot survive above 60°C.

Though current regulations stipulate several key measures for water safety, including risk assessments, monitoring and maintenance protocols to prevent Legionella growth, Hydrosense warns that these measures no longer go far enough.

Among the key concerns is the continued reliance on traditional laboratory culture testing, which can take several days to deliver results and may fail to detect low levels of Legionella before they become a serious risk. According to Hydrosense, more proactive approaches – including rapid testing, continuous monitoring and real-time water system analytics – are now essential to safeguard public health, especially in high-risk urban environments.

Greg adds: “Legionella risk is rising faster than ever, yet our testing methods haven’t kept up. Most lab results take at least a week but Legionella can double in a single day. That’s simply unacceptable and facilities need faster, smarter tools to stay ahead – going beyond even compliance – to help better protect public health. Otherwise, the real concern is that incidents like the one currently unfolding in London will become far too common.”

For more information, visit https://hydrosense-legionella.com/