How Often Do You Need To Clean Your Water Tank?

Do you know the dangers of neglecting your water tank? Safe storage of water for domestic use (including such water systems in commercial buildings) requires regular maintenance, cleaning and disinfection of the storage tank; ensuring the water is safe to use for your building’s occupants. Without it, you could be placing them in danger of serious infection or even death. Read on to find out your responsibilities for maintaining your water tank systems; including how often you should be carrying out inspections, microbial testing, cleaning and disinfection. Why do I need to regularly inspect and clean my water tank? Employers, landlords and other dutyholders have a legal obligation to protect their buildings’ occupants from the risks of unsafe water. A poorly-maintained cold water storage tank can become a potentially deadly health hazard over time. Rust, limescale and corrosion can build up inside the tank, as well as nastier contaminants like vermin fouling, mould and bacteria (particularly legionella). Regularly inspecting your water tanks – and carrying out cleaning and disinfection when required – is therefore essential for protecting the health of your building’s users and your own legal compliance. (It’s important to remember, though, that tank inspections and cleaning is just one part of ensuring water safety and preventing legionella growth. You should always have an appropriate risk assessment and water hygiene regime in place, which should cover all water systems and components across your property.) What’s involved in a water tank disinfection? The process of water tank cleaning is broadly similar to the mains pipe chlorination process we’ve talked about previously on the Dynamika blog. As well as flushing a chemical cleaning solution through your water system, tank cleaning might also involve draining and scrubbing the tank interior to remove corrosion and debris. In extreme cases, your cold storage tank might require relining or even replacement. As with mains pipe chlorination, a tank disinfection is usually followed with microbiological testing, to ensure the disinfection has been successful.

For more information on How Often Do You Need To Clean Your Water Tank? talk to Dynamika UK Ltd