HW pump

[Bob Mannix]

Well it was your illustration. I agree that softer opaque plastic bottles make the water smell a bit of plastic but that doesn't mean it's off. Try using a bottled water bottle, the plastic used doesn't do that (obviously, as the use by dates are typically 18 months from purchase).

Water doesn't go off - your "clear" statement actually meant to say "1) Things grow in water" and "2) The rate at which they grow..."

This is undoubtedly true (but, at any level of significance in tap water on a longer timescale than you suggest) but doesn't support the rest of your somewhat paranoid postings about domestic water installations and your perceived threat of legionella infections. As someone else has stated, legionella outbreaks generally occur in the presence of aerosols, mainly from closed recirculating systems - I agree that ignoring the risk from such systems is irresponsible. Any system constantly fed by chlorinated water is not at any appreciable risk - the epidemiology doesn't support the other view. Unchlorinated private supplies are a different matter, of course.

It doesn't mean it's "off" (as you put it) or non potable though.

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:34:43 -0800 (PST) someone who may be Onetap wrote this:-

Ah, a mind reader now too. Don't give up the day job and take up mind reading, you are not any good at it.

You originally made the absolute claim that, "If you put mains water into an opaque plastic water bottle, it will be noticeably whiffy inside 1 or 2 days." A number of us have pointed out that this absolute claim is incorrect.

Yet you appear to care enough to continue to try and defend your various assertions about legionnaires disease.

Legionella are one of the things which can go wrong with water systems. It is not something one should underestimate, the little nasties have killed people. There appears to have been a non-fatal case recently

However, neither should one panic and rush around taking all sorts of "precautions". Activity in this direction is likely to mean less activity in other directions, other directions which would make people safer.

Safety is a matter of considering all likely risks and taking appropriate measures to reduce them to as low as reasonably practical.

[Onetap]

It remains a minor side issue to the simple fact that water can and does provide a habitat for bacteria. The major factors affecting the rate at which bacteria multiply are the temperature and the amount of nutrients. In most instances, that means uninsulated systems, neglected HWS systems and dirty systems.

pH affects it, probably. And the pH of mains water is usually .............

Exposure to air affects it, probably. LP is an aerobic bacteria. Many water mains are MDPE, many domestic systems are plastic. And most plastics are permeable to oxygen.

Your determination to show me to be wrong is causing you to bang on about a minor detail and post irrational and misleading information about the main issue. The main issues here are temperature and contamination.

They are not only my views. They are all directly from the HSE L8 document. It is an approved Code of Practice. If there is a legionella outbreak and you have deviated from L8, you can expect to be prosecuted. There is no paranoia about this. I comply with L8 and clients pay to ensure they comply with L8. Some of you don't agree with L8 and seem to think you know better, but I really, really don't care about your opinions.

I have always suspected that windscreen washers are a source of some legionella outbreaks.

Shut down after testing the domestic water systems. Usually the same as domestic water systems in houses, just bigger.

You need to grow up a little.

Manky water systems are a hazard and you're behaving irresponsibly by telling clueless DIYers that they aren't. Whilst you can have slovenly hygiene standards in your own water systems, you really should not claim that your negilence is justifiable.

Whether you like it or not, I can & do smell a difference in water after it has been bottled for 24 to 36 hours. Deal with it.

[Nick]

We went away for a summer holiday one very hot summer for two weeks - the year which was relentless sunshine every day for those 2 weeks or more - when we returned no water would flow from the tank.

I suspected an air lock so got the wet and dry out to suck it through and what came out truly shocked me....

It was green and slimy and sort of gelatinous - it had been up in the 30's ambient and the roof would have been up in the 40's or possibly 50's in the height of the day - the water was quite warm - perhaps around 35 maybe more and had been sitting there for the two weeks

I will always drain and flush the tank through after being away in hot weather for more than a week or so.

Nick