The number of people with Legionella pneumonia, better known as Legionnaires’ disease, has been increasing in recent years. Such pneumonia is caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria. It is a very unpleasant disease, which in most cases can be prevented. Therefore, have your (drinking) water installations checked for the level of Legionella bacteria through periodic Legionella sampling. Marino is a specialist in the field of clean drinking and process water and has the water samples analyzed in the NEN-EN-ISO 11731 accredited laboratory.
Institutions and companies where people run a high risk of becoming infected with Legionella are legally obliged to take a Legionella sample. This includes, for example, hospitals, health care institutions, hotels, saunas and swimming pools. These so-called priority institutions must be sampled at least twice a year at a mandatory number of points for the presence of the Legionella bacteria. We are happy to check whether your organization falls under this category for you in the Drinking Water Decree. We also strongly recommend periodic sampling for other non-priority establishments, possibly with a lower frequency or number of samples. All owners of locations that make tap water available, such as drinking water, swimming water and process water, have a general duty of care for the quality of this water.
Since January 1, 2019, the international standard NEN-EN-ISO 11731 applies to sampling Legionella and the analysis process. The goal is that in every country the counting of Legionella bacteria in water is performed according to the same standard. Our laboratory has this accreditation, which means that our laboratory has demonstrated its ability to perform the culture methods and required operations. Also the taking of water samples for research on the Legionella bacteria should be done by accredited samplers of our lab. Unfortunately it is not possible to do this yourself. In this way we guarantee the quality of the research, for your safety and that of your employees and visitors.
How does the sampling process work? For our existing customers with a subscription, the sampling is automatically scheduled through our advanced planning system. For new relationships, we assess the urgency and then schedule an appointment for sampling as soon as necessary. How many samples are taken depends on the number of taps in your installation. Our added value is that we can advise you on which parameters should be examined, with what frequency and at which positions. As also laid down in the Legionella management plan. And we can give you specific advice on how to deal with the results after receiving them. One of the most important microbiological parameters is the number of colony-forming units (CFU) of Legionella per liter of drinking water. If 100 CFU or more are present, there is a Legionella norm violation. The analysis can also show that there is an excess of other microorganisms. Besides microbiological parameters, chemical parameters can also be analyzed, such as hardness and acidity, and many other water-related issues.
The colleagues at the lab analyze the water samples based on a biological culture method. The water sample is filtered, leaving a residue on the filter. This is applied to a culture plate, which is then placed in an incubator. In this, the bacteria start to grow. After 8 days, a count is made of how many colony-forming units have formed on the culture plate. Based on the number and type of units, it becomes clear whether there is a Legionella breach, if so how many and what type (also called serotype).
We always inform you after 8 days about your water quality when it comes to microbiological parameters like Legionella. Chemical parameters can be known even earlier, depending on the type of research. You will receive a clear report including advice on any follow-up action. If there is an excess, it must be reported to the Environment and Transport Inspectorate. We can assist you with this reporting obligation. Even if the water quality is good, our report contains, if applicable, advice on the implementation of a periodic management plan. You can largely implement these measures yourself. This will considerably reduce the chance of Legionella being present and you will always be able to rely on our expertise.
Would you like to know more about our approach to Legionella sampling? Please contact us by telephone on 0172-214181 or complete our online form for information or a quotation.