Real-Time Legionella Monitoring: From Prediction to Prevention
Real-time Legionella monitoring is changing the way organisations manage water safety. Instead of relying solely on periodic manual temperature checks, continuous monitoring systems use strategically positioned IoT sensors to collect water temperature and other system data around the clock.
This continuous flow of information can help duty holders, property and facilities managers and those responsible for water safety identify unusual conditions, temperature excursions and developing trends much earlier. When combined with remote monitoring platforms and AI-powered analysis, the data can also be used to identify patterns that may indicate an increased risk before a more significant problem develops.
In our previous article, we explored how AI predictive analysis can help reduce Legionella risk. Here, we look more closely at the technology that provides much of the data behind that analysis: real-time Legionella monitoring. We explain how continuous water monitoring works, where it can be particularly useful, and how it can support effective Legionella control and water safety management.
A version of this article looking at the use of real-time Legionella monitoring first appeared in Legionella Control International’s newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up here.
Real-time Legionella monitoring vs manual temperature checks
Temperature checks form just one aspect of water monitoring. However, if you opt for manual checks, you’re taking time out of your day to do them. There must be a system in place to make sure these checks are performed and recorded correctly and at regular intervals by someone with relevant experience and knowledge.
Even if all those things are in place, you’ll still only gather data from the specific moment you take those manual temperature checks. Anything could happen in between those times – and you won’t know about it until your next check.
Real-time monitoring works 24/7, whether there’s anyone in the building or not. If the sensors identify a potential problem, you’ll be alerted – and this will happen before that problem becomes significant.
While manual temperature monitoring remains an important part of many Legionella control programmes, each measurement represents conditions at a particular point in time. Continuous monitoring provides additional visibility into what happens between scheduled checks.
How IoT sensors support continuous Legionella monitoring
A continuous rolling stream of data is what AI feeds on. IoT sensors provide this data, while AI models compare it to past performance, allowing them to identify any slight changes that could pose an issue in future.
IoT water monitoring sensors can provide a continuous stream of temperature and other water system data which means you’ll be able to deal with potential issues before they lead to an increase in bacterial levels in the system.
| IoT sensors can continuously monitor water temperatures and provide data between scheduled manual checks.
Continuous water temperature monitoring and automatic alerts
If you’re manually performing temperature checks, you’re only going to know they’ve gone outside defined control parameters when you check them. That means you could have risk factors present in your water system and able to develop further before you know about them.
If you switch to IoT water monitoring, you’ll instantly know when a problem develops. This means you’ll be able to quickly deal with it and take appropriate steps to resolve it before it becomes a serious problem that could lead to a rise in Legionella bacteria in the system.
How the process works:
sensor → data → monitoring platform → trend analysis → alert → investigation/action
Remote Legionella monitoring across multiple buildings and sites
If you’re handling water monitoring requirements manually, and you’re responsible for water safety across multiple buildings, you can see the risks that could occur.
You’d need to adopt regular checks and monitoring across each individual building, considering any specific risk factors that differ between them. For example, a hospital or similar healthcare environment will have high-risk areas with patients who are at particular risk of Legionnaires’ or other waterborne diseases, perhaps through age or illness.
A remote water monitoring platform can bring data from multiple buildings, systems and monitoring points into a central dashboard, helping responsible teams identify exceptions and prioritise investigation.
If you adopt remote monitoring, you can more easily and regularly review the data gleaned from across all the buildings once it has been properly set up. Remote monitoring will reduce the chances of something being missed when dealing with everything manually – chances that may well increase when you’re responsible for water safety across multiple buildings… that could well be geographically dispersed making it harder to get to them.
In short, continuous water temperature monitoring is a great time saver and identifier of issues long before they become a concern. It therefore allows for early intervention and reduces the chance of anything serious occurring.
| Remote monitoring can centralise water system data from multiple buildings and help teams identify conditions requiring attention.
Where can real-time Legionella monitoring be most useful?
Hospitals, Healthcare and Care Home Facilities
We can include hospitals, care homes, and even hotels in this category. Hospitals are likely to involve multiple buildings, along with people at higher risk of Legionnaires’ disease and its effects. The same applies to those in care home facilities. Age, illness, and certain long-term medical conditions can all raise an individual’s risk level.
Hotels and Hospitality
Hotels and other buildings with multiple occupancy also pose greater risks. They may have cooling towers and large water tanks present among other things. Further, there is the chance that some rooms may go unoccupied at quieter times. This may increase the risk of a build-up of bacteria in shower heads and taps that haven’t been used in a while.
By installing IoT sensors in such venues, it becomes much easier to identify any rise in nutrient levels, water temperatures, and stagnated water before they lead to any problems developing.
Does continuous monitoring replace traditional Legionella control measures?
No, real-time monitoring does not negate the requirement to take specific steps to prevent stagnation through irregular use. Nor does it get rid of the need to identify specific risks associated with the water supply to certain hospital wards, hotel rooms, or other locations. However, the continual stream of data taken from the IoT sensors will support your actions in maintaining a safe water system, no matter the location you are responsible for.
Real-time monitoring should support a properly designed, well managed water safety and Legionella control programme rather than eliminating risk assessment, management controls, flushing, inspections, sampling or other required activities.
How real-time monitoring supports Legionella compliance and audit trails
Facilities managers, building operators, business owners and landlords responsible for all manner of different venues and buildings must follow the Approved Code of Practice L8 Legionnaires’ Disease: The control of Legionella bacteria in water systems. HSG274 and HTM/SHTM 04-01 provide further relevant guidance.
It is imperative to create an audit trail to identify and show what you have done – and are doing – to maintain the overall safety of the water system. By installing smart water safety systems, you can show that you are receiving a continual stream of data on many aspects of the water system.
This can support effective compliance management while creating a detailed, time-stamped record of water system performance and any exceptions requiring investigation.
How AI and real-time Legionella monitoring work together
AI relies on a continuous stream of information to do its work. Remote monitoring systems gather this information, but on their own, the systems do just that. They can provide you with data, but you’d still need to assess and identify key points within that data to get the most out of it.
IoT sensors gather the required data for AI to assess. This happens on a continuous basis. Once you have the sensors in place and the system up and running, you can rely on receiving relevant data and alerts when necessary.
For example, AI can consider all the data it receives from the sensors and use it to identify any potential patterns. A subtle upward trend in water temperatures or in bacterial levels in one or more parts of the system may not be spotted by a human conducting manual testing – not until a later stage.
However, AI can identify such micro-trends early, alerting those responsible to potential problems in the water system. Those problems can then be dealt with early before any notable negative effects occur.
| AI-supported analysis can help water safety teams identify temperature trends and conditions that may require investigation.
How does real-time Legionella monitoring work?
Stage 1: IoT sensors collect water system data
Stage 2: Data is transmitted to a monitoring platform
Stage 3: The system identifies exceptions and trends
Stage 4: Alerts highlight conditions requiring attention
Stage 5: Water safety teams investigate and take appropriate action
Stage 6: Historical data supports trend analysis and audit records
What real-time Legionella monitoring cannot replace
It’s important to recognise that this technology does not remove the need for competent water safety management.
Depending on the system and applicable control regime, monitoring may support rather than replace:
- Legionella risk assessments
- written schemes of control
- responsible person oversight
- routine inspection and maintenance
- flushing/stagnation management
- cleaning and disinfection
- microbiological sampling where appropriate
- investigation and corrective actions
Frequently asked questions about real-time Legionella monitoring
What is real-time Legionella monitoring?
Real-time Legionella monitoring uses connected sensors and monitoring technology to continuously collect information about conditions within a water system. Depending on the system, this can include temperature and other parameters relevant to water safety management.
Can continuous monitoring detect Legionella bacteria?
Most conventional continuous monitoring systems monitor conditions associated with risk, rather than continuously testing directly for Legionella bacteria. Legionella testing may still be required where appropriate.
Can real-time monitoring replace manual Legionella temperature checks?
Not automatically. Continuous monitoring can provide much greater visibility of water temperatures between scheduled checks, but its use should form part of an appropriate Legionella control programme based on the system, risk assessment and applicable guidance.
Can continuous water monitoring replace Legionella sampling?
Not automatically. Continuous monitoring can provide much greater visibility of water temperatures between scheduled checks, but its use should form part of an appropriate Legionella control programme based on the system, risk assessment and applicable guidance.
Continuous monitoring and microbiological sampling perform different functions. Monitoring can identify changing conditions and trends, while sampling can provide microbiological information at a particular point in time.
What happens when a water temperature alert is triggered?
The alert should prompt appropriate review and, where necessary, investigation and corrective action by the responsible water safety team.
Is remote Legionella monitoring suitable for multiple buildings?
Yes. One of its major practical advantages is the ability to centrally monitor data from multiple buildings or geographically dispersed sites.
How can AI improve Legionella monitoring?
AI and analytical systems can assess large volumes of monitoring data to identify trends, anomalies and patterns that may warrant investigation.
From reactive checks to proactive Legionella control
Real-time Legionella monitoring provides water safety teams with something periodic manual checks cannot provide on their own: continuous visibility of changing conditions within a water system.
By combining IoT water sensors, remote monitoring and automatic alerts, organisations can identify temperature excursions, unusual conditions and developing trends earlier, allowing those responsible for water safety to investigate and take appropriate action before an issue becomes more significant.
The technology can be particularly valuable across hospitals, care facilities, hotels, complex buildings and multi-site property portfolios, where large numbers of monitoring points can make conventional data collection and oversight increasingly challenging.
However, continuous monitoring should not be viewed as a substitute for effective legionella risk management. Risk assessments, competent oversight, appropriate control measures, maintenance, sampling where required, and clear corrective actions remain fundamental. Instead, real-time monitoring can strengthen these existing controls by providing better data, earlier warnings and a more comprehensive record of water system performance.
As monitoring technology and AI-powered analysis continue to develop, the direction of travel is increasingly clear: from periodic snapshots of water system performance towards continuous, data-led and increasingly predictive water safety management.
Considering real-time water monitoring?
Legionella Control International can help you assess where continuous monitoring could strengthen your existing Legionella control programme, identify appropriate monitoring points and ensure the technology is integrated into a wider risk-management strategy.
Legionella Control International