Legionella specialists SAS Water Ltd has recently won new contracts to ensure water safety across the business, local authority and social housing sectors.
The Leek-based business has doubled its staffing levels in recent years and stepped up training, to raise awareness of the need to act against potentially fatal Legionnaires’ Disease.
Recent contract wins have included work for major building firm Balfour Beatty, Anglesey County Council and Incommunities, a Bradford based social housing group, which alone has over 22,000 properties.
SAS Water is responsible for carrying-out regular water monitoring and testing for around 80 businesses and is also approached by companies to solve safety issues or on a reactive basis following an outbreak.
Elizabeth Ward, Managing Director, said: “We work across many industries and recent contract wins are a demonstration of this. The Balfour Beatty work involves reviewing and updating their policy and management structure for legionella control across their permanent estates, the Anglesey contract is for water safety across their whole portfolio including offices and leisure facilities and Incommunities involves safety across the housing sector, including sheltered housing”.
“Water safety is a challenge across every sector as all businesses have a duty under the law to monitor and understand risk caused by their water systems. The Health and Safety Executive says there were 448 recorded cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in the UK in 2017” (Public Health England, Monthly Legionella Reports).
“A further growth area for our business is the hotel, holiday lets and spa sector. Many businesses from major hotels to farm holiday lets have invested in facilities such as spas and hot tubs and they have a duty to the safety of guests and staff.
“If we just look at nearby areas, such as Staffordshire, Shropshire and the West Midlands, there have been recent reports of Legionnaires’ Disease at hotels in Burton, Ludlow and Wolverhampton, so the risk is clear.”
Investment in staff training and customer services is driving success at SAS Water. The company has developed a programme where staff carry-out training and awareness programmes in companies across the UK. “Raising awareness is important and can save lives,” said Elizabeth. “There are many businesses who are unaware of their duties to test and prevent legionella.”
SAS Water has continually grown in recent years and have increased their staff from three to seven engineers and added an additional two risk assessors.
Preventative measures for tackling legionella growth can include, temperature control of the water system and introducing regular flushing and testing regimes. Legionella can remain dormant in Cold Water below 20°C, while a hot water temperature, held consistently above 60°C can kill the bacteria. All companies using water systems have a duty under the law to seek expert advice and to ensure risk is controlled.
