Legionella Prevention Law Amendment

9 September 2022

In May 2022, Minister Harbers stated in a letter to the House of Representatives that he intends to amend the legislation regarding Legionella prevention. This follows a report by KWR-Berenschot. Since this development, it has been unclear what the appropriate next steps are for the legislative amendment. In this article, Egbert Leiting offers insights based on his expertise as a senior advisor on Legionella prevention and drinking water safety at Normec Kalsbeek.

Motion by Van der Lee

In 2018, the House of Representatives adopted a motion by Van der Lee. The motion calls on the government to investigate the possibilities of lowering the 55°C requirement for hot tap water in order to save energy without posing a risk to public health. A study commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) followed, resulting in a report by KWR-Berenschot that drew significant criticism.

Hot Tap Water Temperature

The report states that the recommended minimum usage temperature should henceforth be 60°C. The report focuses primarily on water safety, but not on energy savings, which was the original purpose for which the motion was adopted. According to Egbert, energy savings are even more urgent today given the current situation. The war in Ukraine has accelerated this need. Energy conservation is essential. The proposed increase in hot water temperature runs directly counter to this.

High-Risk Situations

The report also proposes focusing more on the most dangerous species: Legionella pneumophila. This approach largely overlooks the Legionella non-pneumophila variants, resulting in the loss of essential information about the systems and their management. This can lead to high-risk situations. After all, Legionella non-pneumophila can also cause disease. Furthermore, the presence of these Legionella species indicates that the system and/or its management is not up to standard.

Further Research

Egbert recommends seeking the best solution within the framework of sustainability, drinking water safety, and costs. Through the use of technology, it should be possible to lower the temperature of hot tap water to save energy without compromising safety. Reducing Legionella monitoring is not advisable due to the aforementioned risks. To achieve the most favorable scenario without contradictions, further research by various stakeholders is needed. It would be better to put the current legislative proposals on hold pending further research.

At this time, the minister has indicated that he will await the results of additional studies before amending the legislation accordingly. The additional studies will in all likelihood begin this fall. Normec Kalsbeek will keep you informed of developments in this area. As soon as more information is available regarding the Legionella prevention regulations, we will share it with you.

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