Like most things to do with the omnipresence of legionella bacteria, it’s what you don’t see that has the potential to hurt you. With a habit of lurking in unseen places/the darkest recesses which rarely see the light of day, conversely legionella bacteria is no stranger to some of the places where we feel most at ease. Like for example our showers. Be they in public places (think hotels, Air B’n’B’s, hospitals, leisure centres, gyms, workplace, etc) or in more familiar private surrounds (i.e., our own bathrooms), legionella bacteria might be hiding not far from the surface at any given time or place.

Now forgive us for painting a horror story-esque opening paragraph, but we can’t play down the importance of flagging up possible scenarios (however scary they may sound) where legionella bacteria could take hold. And our bathrooms is one such place a little too close to home for comfort, we’re sure you’ll agree.

So, you’re probably asking yourself right about now just where does the (not so clear but undeniably present) danger manifest itself? And the answer is, firmly entrenched in the showerhead. Often lying dormant deep within the pinhead nozzles which comprise many of our recognizable showerheads, legionella bacteria if left unobserved and subsequently treated/banished, could lead to the spectre of Legionnaires’ disease in the most unsuspecting of circumstances. Understandably the very next question would be something along the lines of; “Just how does the presence of legionella bacteria in a showerhead impact on our health and wellbeing?” And that’s a very simply answer. Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by inhaling small droplets of water which are contaminated with legionella; which effectively materialise in a typical showering environment and project at high pressure and of varying sizes.

How do we know this Connection to be true?

Accounts – and subsequent scientific studies carried out in the aftermath – of Legionnaires’ disease being reported as far back as the 1990s, keenly associated the role contaminated showerheads played in people falling ill. Indeed, as of 1990 the New York Times dedicated an article to research compiled in the wake of a spate of Legionnaires' disease cases in a South Dakota hospital. Showers were found to be the means by which the bacteria was transmitted, after noting the significant presence of certain amoebas consistent in the water supply at the time of that particular outbreak.

In 2009 one of the UK’s leading newspapers also ran a story detailing how a daily shower could be hazardous, in light of a study conducted across 9 cities in America. After performing analysis of 45 shower heads, experts concluded that said showering components were; “breeding grounds for bacteria and when water is passed through them, they blast out the bugs”; having identified various microbes including Mycobacterium avium. Exposure to this can lead to respiratory problems for individuals presenting a weak immune system or chronic respiratory disease.

But how do you detect the Level of Risk in the First Place?

Assessing the degree of risk in your own bathroom is initially based on the broader picture. And determining exactly where your water is sourced from and how it’s heated. If it’s a water tank, then ensuring that it’s both clean and fit for purpose is a priority. Be aware that should your water tank be home to elements of rust, corrosion, biofilm and/or debris, then these could all provide sustenance for legionella bacteria. Annual inspections and cleans (if required) are paramount. Alternatively, if a calorifier is responsible for heating your water, then this also needs routine monitoring, servicing and general upkeep. Meanwhile if you rely on a combi boiler to heat your water then the threat is considered less due to the underlying fact that the hot water isn’t stored, but instead heated on demand and as and when required. That said, hot water held in a storage tank should never drop below 50°C, so as to eradicate the latent risk of legionella. Elsewhere, hard water-encouraging limescale can provide food for bacteria to thrive on; therefore it’s imperative that the descaling of showerheads is a task ideally carried out on a monthly basis.

Tell Me More about How I can Prevent Legionella in a Showerhead?

As we’ve mentioned above, regular monitoring and maintenance is key here. In terms of elaborating on this, the following points apply.

• With a view to actively eliminating any organisms residing in your showerhead, it’s advised to detach the showerhead from the pipe and run water for at least 2 minutes – and at a temperature of 60°C – routinely. Experience and stats tell us that legionella bacterium breeds between 20-45°C
• Now proceed to dismantle the showerhead and remove all detachable components of it. This includes the filter screen
• Gather the sum parts and place them in a sink which comprises of a mixture of hot water, white vinegar and baking soda
• Facilitate an old toothbrush to work away at the individual pieces of the showerhead’s construct, so as to remove any resilient residue which has built-up
• Next, thoroughly rinse the parts and refill the sink; this time with a blend of both hot water and dish detergent. Immerse the parts in the solution for a further 10 minutes
• Release the water from the sink, however keep the items in situ, before adding a kettle of boiling water which you should pour over the cleaned parts. This will eradicate the remnants of the cleaning agent
• Finally, using a paper towel dab dry the components and put somewhere to dry thoroughly. Once done, reattach to the shower pipe

Do I Use Conventional Household Cleaning Solutions to Clean my Showerhead?

Truth be told, no. Despite people tending to believe that ordinary household cleaning products are a reliable means of eliminating contaminants from showerheads, this isn’t necessarily the case. That’s because the majority of these mainstream products only descale the surface of the showerhead and don’t penetrate the insides as such. Which is precisely where the legionella bacteria would be located, and otherwise allowed to prosper. These products don’t effectively sterilise nor totally disinfect any part of the showerhead. Thankfully there are a range of specific showerhead-targeting products on the market which can provide the deep clean required, via either liquid or gel solutions.

Should this Practice be a Long-running One?

To a certain extent, yes. Yet having said that even well-maintained showerheads will become less effective over a passage of time as mineral compilation will result in the outlined cleaning methods proving to be less successful. With this in mind it would be prudent to look at the longer-term benefits of antimicrobial chemical water treatments, which clean and disinfect tanks and showers by way of dispersing bacterial cells and obstructing the evolution of the contaminant; thus paving the way to far-reaching protection against bacteria. You might also consider introducing a thermostatic mixing valve or TMV, which fundamentally fuses hot and cold water together to avoid scalding, yet affords water the opportunity to be housed at risk-free high temperatures.