How does the Messtex drinking water analysis work?
Whether as an individual service or as a complete package – we will be happy to care about your wishes:
Experts will inspect your drinking water system in advance and record the relevant sampling points.
Our expert takes the necessary samples to carry out the drinking water analysis for legionella.
Once the laboratory report has been completed, we will send you the necessary information. Upon request also in form of letters and house notices for your residents
Together with accredited laboratories, we offer you a professional all-in-one solution with which you can meet all legal requirements and regulations .
- According to the current Drinking Water Ordinance, landlords of buildings with central drinking water heating are obliged to check the drinking water regularly for harmful legionella which must be done at least every three years.
- The expenses incurred for drinking water testing are regular and recurring costs and can therefore be apportioned according to the Operating Costs Ordinance. This includes all costs for carrying out sampling in accordance with the Drinking Water Ordinance.
- Escalation measures, i.e. measures that have to be taken when the legionella infestation has already progressed too far, are not apportionable. Therefore it is even more important to control the drinking water preventively and regularly.
FAQ
Information about drinking water analysis
Properties with the following criteria are obliged to undergo regular drinking water testing. Properties that have:
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more than two residential units
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at least one residential unit rented out
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shower cubicles or shower heads available
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the central drinking water storage tank with a capacity of more than 400 litres or a capacity of at least 3 litres in the pipe between the outlet of the drinking water storage tank and the most distant tapping point in the house, e.g. in the penthouse
Properties with the following criteria are exempt from the drinking water analysis obligation:
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One- and two-family houses do not count as large-scale drinking water heating systems
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Owners' associations without rented accommodations
Legionella are small rod-shaped bacteria that can occur anywhere in freshwater. Water temperatures of 25° C to 55° C offer them optimal conditions for reproduction. Once drinking water is contaminated with legionella, inhaling it as an aerosol (water mist) - for example when showering - can be dangerous. Serious illnesses can be the result. Experts estimate that in Germany alone, 20,000 to 32,000 people fall ill with so-called Legionnaires' disease every year due to Legionella. Drinking the water containing legionella, on the other hand, is usually harmless.
Installation of taps: Owners of drinking water systems must ensure that suitable sampling points (taps) are available at the outlet and at the circulation of the drinking water storage tank.
Legionella examination every three years: In Germany, owners of drinking water systems must have their affected systems examined for legionella every three years without being requested to do so by the health authority. The result of this drinking water analysis for legionella must be kept for ten years.
Information obligations: Landlords must inform their tenants about the result of the legionella test.
Duties of landlords or the property managements in case of positive legionella findings:
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Inform the health authority and the residents about the result of the sampling and the measures to be taken (if necessary, take immediate measures).
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Prepare a risk analysis
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Arrange for a further investigation
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Arrange for follow-up examinations after the remediation
