Castle Water urge their business customers to check water supplies as they reopen doors to the public.

With many businesses forced to close for a period of time due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, it is important that premises owners ensure their water supplies are in good working order on re-opening.

It is vitally important that considerations are given to the quality of water contained within systems that may have become an afterthought during the crisis. Water tank systems may have seen water in storage tanks untouched for many weeks now. Water left to sit inside systems may have warmed during this period, encouraging microbiological regrowth.

How to keep drinking water fresh and minimise health risks

It is important that premises owners consider the dangers of a stagnant water system and begin to restore the flow of fresh water in their workplace and there are some simple steps that can be taken to recommission your drinking water system. Water UK advises the following:

  • To ensure that the water in your plumbing system is fresh, run all taps individually, starting with the tap nearest to where the water enters the building and moving systematically to the most distant outlet. It should be sufficient to run until the water is clear and feels cool to the touch. Where water is supplied from storage, storage cisterns should be emptied and filled with water direct from the incoming supply, before the taps are flushed;
  • Flushing should be carried out in a manner which minimises aerosol generation, e.g. removing shower heads prior to flushing, to reduce the risks of Legionella transmission. Safety considerations should be made for those flushing including appropriate PPE;
  • Ensure that all appliances are also thoroughly flushed through before use, using the manufacturer’s instruction manual;
  • If the premises has any internal filters or water softeners, these should be checked to ensure they are working correctly as outlined in the manufacturer’s instruction manual;
  • If plumbers are required to make any changes or repairs to the plumbing system, ensure the plumbers are approved under the WaterSafe scheme;
  • Confirmatory testing is widely available for water systems.

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