How to register, commission and maintain cooling towers and warm water systems in the City of Mitcham, plus how to prevent legionella.
Do you own cooling towers and/or warm water systems?
Cooling towers and warm water systems are high-risk manufactured water systems. If you own one, you must operate them in accordance with the SA Public Health (Legionella) Regulations 2013, Australian and New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 3666) and Guidelines for the Control of Legionella.
You must register your systems within one month
If you own a cooling tower or a warm water system, you must register them within one month of commissioning. You then need to renew your registration every year. Your cooling tower system requires an annual inspection to check the mechanical components, water treatment system and undertake water testing. We’ll contact you to arrange an inspection.
Register your cooling water systems
Register your warm water systems
What’s the risk of legionella?
If you’re responsible for cooling towers and/or warm water systems, it’s important to have them commissioned and maintained properly to prevent diseases.
Otherwise, films containing different microorganisms might form on the surface, and it’s these that provide food and shelter for the growth of Legionella.
The Legionella bacteria can multiply and flourish in this artificial habitat and are then widely dispersed by aerosol, possibly causing infection. Almost all Legionella outbreaks in the past have involved air-conditioning plants or warm water systems, which have been incorrectly commissioned or have been poorly maintained.
Illnesses attributed to Legionella (covered by the general term 'legionellosis") may take two forms:
- Pontiac fever: a non life-threatening 'flu-like illness lasting several days; and
- Legionnaires Disease: a severe, often fatal form of pneumonia.
You must tell us if you get a positive result for Legionella
If you own high risk manufactured water systems (HRMWS), you must tell us within 24 hours of receiving a report that indicates the presence of Legionella:
- at or greater than 10cfu/ml in a warm water system
- at or greater than 1000cfu/ml in a cooling water system
Complete this legionella test result report
When legionella is detected at certain concentrations in a water sample, the system must be decontaminated using a decontamination procedure.
Warm water systems
Warm water systems are usually located in childcare centres, primary and secondary schools, nursing homes and other health care facilities.
They operate with the use of a temperature controlling device that allows the system to distribute or recirculate water through the pipework at approximately 45C.
While the cooler water temperature reduces the risk of burns and scalding, it can increase the risk of Legionella in the distribution system.
Do you own a warm water system?
We’ll send you an annual notice that says you must engage an expert to inspect the system and undertake microbiological testing.
More information about warm water systems
Give our Environmental Health Services team a call on 8372 8816 or visit SA Health