Legionella risk assessment compliance — automated, documented and audit-ready with ACQUA-NET.
Duty holders in public buildings are legally required under ACoP L8 and HSG274 to control and document legionella risk in water systems. ACQUA-NET automates nightly thermal disinfection, logs every outlet cycle and keeps your records audit-ready — without any manual intervention.
What does UK law require for legionella prevention?
UK legionella law is built on three layers: primary legislation, a statutory approved code of practice, and technical guidance. Together they create a clear legal duty for anyone who controls premises with water systems.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 + COSHH 2002
Primary legislation requiring employers and building controllers to manage risks from hazardous substances, including legionella bacteria.
ACoP L8 — Approved Code of Practice
Legally binding guidance on how to assess and control legionella risk. If you depart from ACoP L8, you must prove an equally effective alternative was used.
HSG274 — Technical Guidance
Detailed technical guidance on water temperature controls, monitoring frequencies, flushing regimes and record-keeping requirements for different water system types.
Duty holders in these buildings must comply
- Sports centres, gyms and leisure facilities
- Swimming pools and spa facilities
- Hospitals and healthcare premises
- Care homes and nursing homes
- Schools and educational institutions
- Hotels and accommodation premises
- Local authority and government buildings
What are the consequences of non-compliance?
HSE enforcement action:
- •Improvement notices requiring immediate remediation
- •Prohibition notices stopping use of the water system
- •Prosecution under HSWA 1974 — unlimited fines
- •Criminal liability for directors and managers personally
Following a Legionnaires' disease outbreak:
- •Civil claims for damages from affected individuals or families
- •Reputational damage and media exposure
- •Mandatory HSE investigation with full records review
ACQUA-NET provides the automated controls and documented evidence that demonstrate due diligence — protecting both the building users and the duty holder.
How ACQUA-NET meets ACoP L8 and HSG274 requirements
Automated nightly thermal disinfection
ACQUA-NET runs a full thermal disinfection cycle at >60°C on every outlet each night — in line with HSG274 temperature requirements. The system stops automatically once the target temperature is reached at the outlet.
Full temperature log per outlet
Every cycle is logged with date, time, temperature and duration — per individual showerhead. Records are exportable from the dashboard and are immediately available for any HSE inspection.
Automatic alerts on temperature deviations
If a target temperature is not reached, the system sends an automatic email alert (optional). No manual checking, no missed entries, no compliance gaps.
No electricity in the wet zone
SOLID TOUCHE sensors operate on patented optic fibre light transmission — no electrical current in the wet area. Zero failures in 18 years of worldwide installations. 30-year sensor warranty.
ACoP L8 — what you still need vs. what ACQUA-NET handles
You need a competent person for the risk assessment. ACQUA-NET handles everything else.
ACoP L8 requires a written legionella risk assessment carried out by a competent person — this is a legal requirement that ACQUA-NET does not change. You will also need periodic water sampling by an accredited laboratory.
What ACQUA-NET eliminates are the ongoing manual control measures: periodic flushing of outlets, manual temperature checks, handwritten log books and the recurring costs of specialist contractors to carry out routine disinfection visits.
What you need
Legionella risk assessment
Competent person
Written control scheme
Competent person
Water sampling (periodic)
Accredited laboratory
Thermal disinfection & logging
ACQUA-NET automatic
Temperature monitoring per outlet
ACQUA-NET automatic
Audit-ready records
ACQUA-NET automatic
Proven performance
>60°C
Every night, at every outlet
100%
Automatically logged
0
Manual interventions required
<12 hrs
Engineer on-site if needed
Frequently asked questions about legionella compliance
Who is the duty holder for legionella under ACoP L8?
The duty holder is the person who has control of the premises — typically the employer, building owner or facilities manager. They are legally responsible for carrying out a legionella risk assessment, implementing a written control scheme, and ensuring all measures are monitored and documented.
How often does a legionella risk assessment need to be reviewed?
ACoP L8 requires the risk assessment to be reviewed regularly and whenever there is reason to suspect it may no longer be valid — after changes to the water system, after a case of Legionnaires' disease, or at least every two years for most systems.
What temperature controls are required under HSG274?
Hot water must be stored at ≥60°C and distributed at ≥50°C at all outlets within one minute. Cold water should be kept below 20°C. ACQUA-NET automatically maintains these temperatures and logs every outlet cycle with timestamp, temperature and duration.
Does ACQUA-NET replace the legionella risk assessment?
No. A written legionella risk assessment by a competent person remains a legal requirement under ACoP L8. ACQUA-NET automates the ongoing control measures: nightly thermal disinfection, temperature monitoring per outlet, and audit-ready records — eliminating manual flushing and logging.
What happens if you fail to comply with legionella regulations in the UK?
The HSE can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices and prosecute under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and COSHH 2002. Fines are unlimited. Where someone contracts Legionnaires' disease, duty holders face criminal prosecution and civil liability for damages.
The system
How ACQUA-NET works in detail
Modular shower system with patented optic fibre sensors, remote monitoring, automated legionella prevention and 30-year sensor warranty — built for public buildings.
Warranty & service
30-year warranty & engineer on-site within 12 hours
The longest sensor warranty in the sector. If something goes wrong, an engineer is with you within 12 hours — across 6 countries including the UK.
Every day without ACQUA-NET is a day you carry the risk yourself.
Legionella doesn't wait for your maintenance schedule. A case of Legionnaires' disease affects the users of your building — not the supplier of your shower system. ACQUA-NET takes over that responsibility permanently: automated prevention and audit-ready documentation for every HSE inspection.
We analyse your situation for free and respond within 24 hours.