Legionella testing

Landlords must test their property for Legionella: Legionella contaminated water can cause serious infections. The Drinking Water Ordinance obliges owners and landlords to regularly check the drinking water for Legionella.

What are Legionella? The disease is referred to as a legionnaire's disease due to an incident in the United States in 1976. At that time, 29 participants of the American Legion in Philadelphia died for the first time from severe pneumonia caused by bacillus bacteria.

Legionella spread in warm water and can infect humans when water contamined water gets into the body while showering or drinking at the faucet.

Duty to examine Legionella with the amending regulation of the Drinking Water Ordinance of 1 November 2011, landlords of multi-family houses who provide hot water via a large plant (more than 400 l) must have these plants examined for Legionella every 3 years.

Owners of one- and two-family houses are not affected by the inspection obligations.

The samples must be taken and performed by state-accredited experts. Findings have to be reported to the health department

Landlords with appropriate hot water systems must take water samples from representative bodies of their facilities and have them examined by approved laboratories.

If the Legionella limits are exceeded, the landlord must combat these bacteria. For example, the heating, disinfection or UV irradiation of the drinking water or the installation of filters may be considered.

Tip: Landlords can settle the costs of the test as operating costs.

You must inform the tenants in the house about the results of the test by posting a notice or in the utility bill.