Food Water & Environmental Microbiology Services
HPA Centre for Infections
61 Colindale Avenue
London NW9 5EQ
E-mail: fwem@hpa.org.uk

Advice

For information and advice on the services offered, please contact the unit: fwem@hpa.org.uk

Services Offered

The Food Water & Environmental Microbiology Services unit (FWEMS) provides national and international services for the investigation of waterborne infections. These services include:

• Organisation of and assistance with the investigation of outbreaks of waterborne disease, especially legionnaires' disease
• Advice on the microbiological hazards associated with all kinds of water use and the control of these hazards in particular: all aspects of the control of Legionella pneumophila, the cause of legionnaires' disease
• Advice on the control of microbiological hazards in swimming, hydrotherapy and spa pools
• Advice on methods for the sampling and detection of microorganisms in water and in the environment
• Provision of teaching and training courses on water and environmental matters

Water Testing for Legionella Explained

This DVD features a series of four short films, each designed for a different audience. The four films cover the following areas:

• A brief summary of Legionnaires' disease
• A general overview of the techniques used for taking water samples for examinations for Legionella spp. 
• Sampling waters from cooling towers and evaporative condensers, hot and cold domestic systems, spa pools, tanks and water heaters and provides some background information about these types of water systems.
• An overview of the laboratory techniques used by the Health Protection Agency to isolate and identify Legionella spp. from water samples.

Download the order form:

Water testing for legionella explained - DVD order form (PDF, 478 KB)