Council’s Environmental Health team conducts routine inspections of all of the warm water and cooling water systems registered with Council.
On 10 August 2018, the Public Health Regulation 2012 was amended to include new requirements for the maintenance and operation of cooling water systems in New South Wales.
This legislation introduced the following safeguards to minimise Legionella transmission and ensure that problems are pre-empted, escalated and responded to in a timely manner:
- Risk assessment of Legionella contamination documented in a Risk Management Plan (RMP);
- Independent auditing of compliance with the RMP and Regulation;
- Providing certificates of RMP and audit completion to Council;
- Monthly sampling and testing for Legionella and heterotrophic colony count;
- Notifying reportable laboratory test results (Legionella count ≥1000 cfu/mL or heterotrophic colony count ≥5,000,000 cfu/mL) to Council; and
- Displaying unique identification numbers on all cooling towers.
For practical guidance on the legal requirements relating to legionella control in cooling water systems, please refer to the NSW Guidelines for Legionella Control in Cooling Water Systems found on the NSW Health website.
All systems must be notified to Council by submitting the NSW Health Approved Form (6), Notification of Installation or change in particulars, which can be found on their website.
