Decontamination protocols

When Legionella is detected at specified concentrations in a water sample collected from a cooling towers or water system, the owner of the system must immediately shut down the system, pending decontamination or decontaminate in accordance with the following or alternative decontamination protocols.

Decontamination protocols may also need to be initiated for cooling tower systems within proximity to where several cases of Legionnaires’ disease may have been detected.  

Decontamination protocol for cooling towers

Decontamination procedures may be required in cooling tower systems within proximity to where a case or several cases of Legionnaires’ disease may have frequented.

The Department of Health supports the following decontamination process outlined in the Decontamination protocol for cooling towers (PDF 368KB)

Other processes can be followed as long as they meet the requirements of the Regulations and Australian Standards.

Decontamination protocol for warm water systems

Decontamination procedures may be required for water systems association with cases of Legionnaires’ disease in a building.

The Department of Health supports the following decontamination process outlined in the Decontamination protocol for warm water systems (PDF 381KB).