Water safety in your home

Download our 'Staying safe in your home' leaflet

It is important to make sure that water supply used within your home is fresh and free from harmful bacteria.

If water sources aren’t used regularly, like shower heads and outside taps, then harmful bacteria can develop, including Legionella.

What is Legionella?
Legionnaires’ Disease is a form of pneumonia which is caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria which can be found in water systems. The likelihood of legionella being in your home is very low as most households do not store huge amounts of water. They also use water regularly so it’s not standing still in pipes.

Tips to make sure the water in your home is safe:
- if you have any water outlets you don’t use regularly (shower, bath, internal/external taps and hose pipes), or have been on holiday for a few weeks, run the outlets for around five minutes to help prevent water becoming stagnant
- clean your shower head and hose regularly to prevent lime scale and any build-up of bacteria.