If a water risk assessment finds that there are compliance issues in your water system, you may require remedial work to take place on your water system(s), but what exactly is remedial work?
In this article, our experts explain what is meant by remedial work, including an overview on the plumbing work, water sampling, disinfection and tank cleaning you may need, as well as how remedial work can be prioritised in order to help your budget.
What counts as remedial work on water systems?
Here are the 4 most common types of remedial work that may be necessary to keep your water system operational and safe:
Plumbing work
One of the most common remedial jobs is relatively simple plumbing work (sometimes the simple fixes can cause the biggest issues!).
A water risk assessment will help to identify where there might be areas of concern, such as deadends or deadlegs within a water system. This work often includes action that will bring the system back into a compliant state.
Reactive water sampling
Should a water system be identified as non-compliant during a service visit or risk assessment then water sampling maybe necessary to determine the quality of the water in the system in order to ensure that it is safe for common use.
Our professionals will attend site and collect a single or multiple water samples (system size and complexity dependant) from a tap or other source, which will then be sent off to an independent, accredited laboratory for analysis.
If the water is found to be contaminated, for example, if the water tests positive for containing legionella bacteria, recommendations for remedial actions will be provided to improve the quality of the water.
This could include the replacement of system components or parts such as cold water storage tanks, hot water heaters, expansion vessels, valves or pipework. Once the relevant remedial work has been completed, another sample is taken to prove that the work has been effective.
Disinfection
In the event that multiple samples are taken, and there are positive sample readings then a disinfection maybe required.
Depending on the level of contamination, this might mean key area disinfection, or an entire system treatment. For example, if a hot water system has failed the testing process then the most suitable recommendation may be a process called thermal pasteurisation, which is where the temperature of the water inside is increased to destroy any remaining bacteria.
Tank Cleaning
If the issues in the water system are down to the condition of the cold water storage tank, the most suitable recommendation may be to conduct a thorough clean and disinfection.
This involves draining to tank of the existing dirty water and giving the inside of the tank a deep cleanse using a range of equipment. Once the tank is in an acceptable condition, it is rinsed and pumped out again and then proactively disinfected before going back into service.
What businesses require water system remedial work?
Every business with an onsite water source, regardless of industry, could require remedial work on their water system from time to time.
It is significantly more cost efficient to prevent issues than correct them.
Regular checks will significantly improve the longevity and efficiency of the mechanical parts of your water system, including storage tanks, water heaters and valves. The longer these parts go without servicing, the more likely they are to fail and cost you a great deal more.
It is always wise for businesses to arrange a pre-planned maintenance contract. This is where engineers will visit your premises at regular intervals (anywhere from once a month to once a year, depending on your needs) to carry out checks of your water systems.
A pre-planned maintenance contract (PPM) from H2O Hygiene is the best way to a) keep your people safe from the threat of Legionnaires’ disease and b) save some money in the process! With a PPM, we’ll treat or repair any issues before they present a higher risk – much cheaper than solving a big issue.
Get in touch with us our friendly team today if you’d like to learn more.
Remedial work on a budget
We understand that remedial work can be expensive, and while some businesses may be able to afford it, for others it can hurt crucial cash flow.
That’s why any good water hygiene company will work within your budget. For example, when we deliver a risk assessment, we categories issues into high, medium and low priority. This allows you to budget for high priority remedial work first; we’ll help you spread the cost and solve issues in a logical, cost-effective way.
Remedial work for water systems from H2O Hygiene
Unfortunately, water systems have a tendency to develop issues. Bacteria proliferates, corrosion happens and valves fail.
The H2O Hygiene team are here to ensure that your water system causes as little disruption to your business as possible.
Our bespoke water hygiene solutions are designed around your unique needs. Whether you need a bespoke risk assessment or tailored remedial works, we’re here to help.
For a no obligation quote, or to find out about our bespoke water maintenance solutions, get in touch with our team of experts today.
