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Water Hygiene10 Jul 2026

When does a water risk assessment need reviewing? The HSE triggers that care home operators miss

HSE L8 ACOP requires a water risk assessment to be reviewed whenever there is reason to believe it may no longer be valid. This includes changes to the building, significant works, a change in use, a positive Legionella sample, or where a period of two years has elapsed since the last review.

Why this matters

Many providers treat their water risk assessment as a one-off exercise. A five-year-old WRA is almost certainly out of date buildings change, outlets are added, pipework is modified and an outdated WRA provides no legal protection.

What to do
  • 1Review your water risk assessment date if it is more than two years old, commission a review.
  • 2Implement a formal trigger log: any extension of the hot or cold water system, any room reconfiguration, or any significant maintenance outage should flag a review.
  • 3Ensure your WRA contractor is made aware of any works affecting the water system before they complete the review.
Primary source
HSE Legionella: Guidance for Employers
View source
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