What is a chlorination certificate?
They play a vital role in connecting homes and business premises with essential water utilities; but if you’re less familiar with the regulations surrounding water safety, perhaps you’ve never heard of a chlorination certificate before.
Let’s clear things up; and answer a few of the top questions surrounding chlorination certification along the way…
They play a vital role in connecting homes and business premises with essential water utilities; but if you’re less familiar with the regulations surrounding water safety, perhaps you’ve never heard of a chlorination certificate before.
Let’s clear things up; and answer a few of the top questions surrounding chlorination certification along the way…
What is a chlorination certificate?
A ‘chlorination certificate’ is issued at the end of a successful water system disinfection, and provides proof that your building’s water systems are safe to use. It’s also known as a ‘disinfection certificate’ or sometimes a ‘bacteriological certificate’.
Why is a chlorination certificate necessary?
If water passes through pipework which hasn’t been chlorinated, the whole water supply can become contaminated by bacteria and other nasty microbes that may be lurking in the unchlorinated pipes.
This can potentially lead to a waterborne disease outbreak; such as the recent legionella outbreak in Argentina that killed four people and left seven others battling the symptoms of pneumonia.
As you might expect, water companies take the risk of contamination very seriously. That’s why, when it comes to new builds, most of them will ask you to provide a copy of your chlorination certificate before they’ll connect your property’s water system to a mains supply pipe.
Who should get a chlorination certificate?
If you’re managing a new build construction project, you’ll need to secure a chlorination certificate before connection to the water mains can be completed. Chlorination certificates may also be required for alterations and renovation projects.
For smaller projects, some water companies will only require a basic inspection and flushing, with no need for a bacteriological test. It’s best to check with your local water company first.
If you’re an employer, or a landlord or manager of a building with hot/cold water services and/or wet cooling systems, you also have a legal obligation to prevent the spread of Legionnaires’ disease and other waterborne diseases.
This means you may need to arrange a chlorination of your water systems in certain circumstances, such as:
- in the event of a legionella outbreak in your area
- if your water systems have been left unused for a long time
- If you’ve discovered potential contamination at your site
How does pipework chlorination work?
To begin, your water system will be flushed with clean water to clear any debris. The entire system will then be filled to capacity with the chlorine solution, and left for a set amount of time (usually around an hour) for the chlorine to work its magic.
After that, the solution will be neutralised and removed from the system, with the waste safely disposed of. A second flushing will be carried out, and then the system will be filled to capacity with clean water and left to sit for another hour or so.
Finally, to make sure the system is safe to use, a bacteriological test will be carried out on a water sample taken from the system. If the test detects any microbes, the whole process is repeated until the test comes back clear.
Chlorination often forms part of a wider water supply commissioning procedure, which also includes a pressure test to assess the likelihood of water leaks.
Are chlorination and disinfection the same thing?
Essentially, yes. In terms of water treatment, chlorination and disinfection are the same, and a chlorination certificate and a disinfection certificate are essentially the same thing too.
The only difference is that disinfection doesn’t necessarily have to involve chlorine. Chlorination remains the most common route for water disinfection, but there’s also other disinfectant chemicals, thermal disinfection and other methods.
You’ll likely need to choose one that’s listed on the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s list of approved disinfection products, and ensure the particular disinfectant is clearly stated on the certification paperwork. As long as you do that, your water company should recognise the certificate with no issues.
How long is a chlorination certificate valid for?
It depends on your local authority’s rules; but you’ll usually have 14 days from the issuing of the certificate to connect your system to the water company’s mains pipe.
You don’t need an up-to-date certificate to keep your building connected to the mains supply, but any future installations or alterations may require their own certificate.
And of course, if you’re an employer, landlord or building manager, you should be testing your water supply regularly to ensure its safety. The exact frequency of testing will vary depending on your premises, industry and your own risk assessment; but if the tests detect any dangerous pathogens, you’ll likely need to carry out a new chlorination.
Need a chlorination certificate for your premises? Dynamika’s UK water testing experts can provide a complete chemical disinfection to BS 8558:2015 and L8 ACOP standards; as well as microbiological testing via our UKAS-accredited laboratories.
Call us on 03333 22 0800 or get in touch online to find out more.