Clean drinking water for health – an action plan for landlords and tenants

Clean drinking water is an important precondition for everyday health and hygiene. Ensuring water quality is maintained within buildings as well requires the proper operation of the drinking water installation and regular use of the tapping points. Landlords and tenants can take simple precautions to secure drinking water hygiene in the building into the long term.

Microorganisms in drinking water

Action plan for landlords

Action plan for tenants

Electronic fittings from SCHELL

Why clean drinking water is so important for health

Drinking water is used in many different ways every day. From drinking and showering to hand washing and cooking – direct contact with the human body obviously goes without saying. Especially because this water typically comes directly out of the tap without any further treatment, hygienic requirements are thus very high. After all, any microbiological contamination could be a serious health hazard.

Users at particular risk:

Older people
Children
People with a weakened immune system

The hygienic handling of drinking water is therefore an important part of day-to-day health protection.

When microorganisms become a problem in the installation

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Stagnation and temperature as risk factors

Under certain conditions, microorganisms can propagate excessively within the drinking water installation. Two key factors that promote this growth are stagnation and temperature. Stagnating water in rarely used piping favours the spread of bacteria. If water remains unused for a prolonged period of time, significant concentrations of microorganisms can develop after as little as 72 hours. Unusual temperatures in the hot water system can also accelerate this process. The hygienic operation of the drinking water installation is therefore a major part of a health protection strategy.

Good to know:

rarely used piping is especially problematic.
Bacteria that are harmful to health can reach excessive levels after only a few days.
Temperature and user behaviour directly influence water quality.

Legionella as a possible health risk

Legionella bacteria occur naturally in water and are therefore typically found at low levels in any source of fresh water. Problems arise if their numbers start to increase rapidly in technical facilities. Temperatures between roughly 30 °C and 45 °C offer ideal conditions for this. Stagnating water in rarely used piping also increases this risk. This is why drinking water hygiene work tends to focus on larger drinking water installations in apartment buildings.

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How people can become infected: An infection with Legionella typically occurs via the respiratory system. Anywhere where a water/air mixture can form is likely to produce aerosols containing bacteria. This is especially likely while showering but can also happen during handwashing. These fine droplets of water can be breathed in and therefore enter the lungs. Simply drinking water is not a health hazard, however.

Landlord responsibilities

Landlords and building owners are responsible for the drinking water quality within the building installation. They must ensure that drinking water remains safe for human use up to the tapping point. In apartment buildings, where drinking water is heated centrally, these are typically large systems. In Germany, the Drinking Water Regulation prescribes regular Legionella testing for such systems. If the ‘technical action value’ is exceeded in testing, this must be notified to the health authorities. A hazard assessment must be prepared, and technical and organisational measures must be introduced. User habits play an important role even outside the context of drinking water laws, however. Especially in cases where water remains unused for longer periods of time.

Rented apartments

Water is typically used every day by people in rented accommodation. However, there are also some typical cases where water stays unused in the piping.

These include:

Holidays or longer periods when the tenant is away
Periods between one tenant leaving and another arriving
Vacancies when no tenant is resident

During these times, water can start to stagnate for long periods of time in the piping. This promotes the proliferation of microorganisms and Legionella in particular. The level of risk is proportional to the period of non-use. Landlords should therefore take note during longer periods of absence lasting several weeks or when apartments are vacant. Simple steps can be taken here. Regular flushing of the piping helps to secure water quality, for example.

Holiday homes

With holiday homes, the situation is often even more critical. Here, usage is irregular and fluctuates significantly. In some circumstances, homes may remain vacant for long periods of time. If properties are often vacant, this significantly elevates the risk of stagnating water. People who rent out holiday homes should therefore take especial care to ensure a regular exchange of water even when homes are currently vacant.

Action plan for landlords:

Ensure hygienic operation, e.g. by checking for correct hot water temperatures and regular maintenance.
Ensure a sufficient exchange of water and avoid stagnation.
Ensure professional planning, operation and servicing, plus regular inspections.
Optimise pipe routing – ensure thermal separation of hot and cold lines.
Inform tenants about the regular use of all tapping points, especially during the hot summer months.

Drinking water hygiene – action plan for tenants

Avoid stagnation

Ensure taps are used regularly For rarely used tapping points, let the water run for a while every now and then.
Every three days (minimum), flush through all tapping points like wash basins, showers or guest toilets once.
After longer periods of absence, like after a holiday, flush through all piping thoroughly.
First, let cold and then hot water briefly run through the tap
Let the water run until it reaches a constant temperature.

Keep taps clean

Clean shower heads and flow regulators regularly
Replace dirty parts or parts with limescale build-up
Also keep kitchen taps clean and hygienic

Note any unusual changes

Don’t ignore a strange odour, taste or turbidity
Notify the landlord or janitor service if you suspect a problem
Always follow advice and information on drinking water hygiene from building operators

Clean drinking water: modern technology for landlords

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Landlords should ensure the targeted use of modern technology to ensure the hygienic operation of the drinking water installation. Electronic taps from SCHELL are an especially effective solution here. They enables automatic hygiene flushes and ensure the regular exchange of water. This significantly reduces the risk of stagnation, especially at rarely used tapping points. These kinds of taps are especially practical in strategically important rooms like the guest WC or in the kitchen, as these are often at the start or end of the apartment installation. If these are used regularly or included in automated flushing, the entire apartment supply and part of the main piping will be flushed clear. This helps to protect health while causing water consumption to rise only a little. Electronic taps from SCHELL are therefore a small investment with a big effect: they improve operational safety and help drinking water hygiene while also raising living standards.

Drinking water hygiene is teamwork

Clean drinking water is an important precondition for everyday health and quality of life. This high water quality is guaranteed up to the service connection. Within buildings, installation, operation and use are the decisive factors for hygiene. Landlords and tenants can work together to ensure that drinking water quality is preserved into the long term. A regular exchange of water, professional facility operations and modern technology help to reduce hygienic risks and ensuring long-term protection for health.