cleaning cold water storage tanks

[MOSSEP]

A care home has had a legionella report carried out and it suggests cleaning out the cold water storage tank. They are nothing special, just standard domestic sized plastic ones.

Whats used to do this? Is it a case of draining them and cleaning them with a chlorine solution?

 

[MarkAqua]

Pretty much yes. When the guys come to my sites and chlorinate they:

1. Drain all water out of the tank (albeit usually with a sump pump)
2. Use a wet vac to remove all left over water and remove grit/sand Etc
3. Use a chlorine solution (unsure what, but I can find out for you) clean all the sides of the tank, the bottom and the lid.
4. Fill the tank and flush from every outlet
5. Repeat as necessary

Make sure you dilute the solution if you buy concentrate, you don't want anyone drinking pure chlorine.

Also the companies we use, when chlorinating (full clean and chlorinate) will test water at all outlets for chlorine levels at the end of the day (or when finished).

 

[SafeGasInstall]

do as above + fernox tablets

 

[kirkgas]

If this is being done by a business, with all due respect to those who have advised on procedures etc, surely you need to be certified as competent up carry out this work? You surely can't simply ask on the Internet for advice and go and do the job

 

[SimonG]

Well my insurance wouldn't cover it

 

[snowhead]

A Care Home would not be the place I would want to practice my first Tank Chlorination.

Best get the experts in, the company doing the report should be able to recommend someone.

There's an important bit missing from the above procedures:
Label all outlets Not to be used whilst cleaning in progress.

 

[SimonG]

I would argue what good a label will do in a care home. Most of the people in there don't know the day of the week, never mind reading labels on taps.

I would be very cautious with this type of work.

 

[MarkAqua]

he's only cleaning the tank, it's not as if he is chlorinating the system. Although I do agree, if you get a company in then you've covered yourself and the care home have covered themselves too.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Sterox

 

[kris]

If this is being done by a business, with all due respect to those who have advised on procedures etc, surely you need to be certified as competent up carry out this work? You surely can't simply ask on the Internet for advice and go and do the job

Do u know the name of the course at college for tank cleaning specialist?

 

[kris]

No one surely on here would mess with the leg, but by sounds of it its been diagnosed buy someone and surely this is them just taking an extra precaution but me personally would have the water and the water in tank tested b4 touching it, THEN scrub a dub dub

 

[Anton]

"Most of the people in there don't know the day of the week, never mind reading labels on taps."

The same goes for the Houses of Parliament.

 

[Ermintrude]

If it's a risk you must drain it to a trapped sump with a cover where by there is no vapour emitted or droplets made airborne. The tank must be chlorinated as must the whole water system and samples taken and tested at an approved biochemical testing laboratory . You may also need to inform you local water company Bylaws inspector as he is required to witness unless you are self cert . Just get suttons or interserve in for £1500 it's easier

 

[kirkgas]

Do u know the name of the course at college for tank cleaning specialist?

Bpec do a legionalla course,I think it's L3, check their website then search for a centre as it won't be done everywhere

 

[josh]

Once you kno the procedure of it it doesn't sound theres much to it to be honest.
Sounds like theres money to be made...