5 Water Hygiene Myths That Might Be Costing You Thousands

When it comes to water hygiene, there’s no shortage of advice out there - some good, some not so much. Unfortunately, many businesses end up paying for unnecessary services because of long-standing myths or misleading recommendations. So, let’s bust a few of the biggest water hygiene myths and set the record straight.

1. “Your tanks should be cleaned annually”

This is one of the most common misconceptions in the industry. In reality, your water tanks don’t need to be cleaned every year - and they certainly don’t need to form part of your routine PPM (Planned Preventive Maintenance) contract. What does need to happen is regular inspection. Tanks should only be cleaned as and when required, which is often far less frequent than once per year. Unnecessary cleaning doesn’t just waste money - it can also cause disruption for no good reason. The only honourable exception to this rule would be if the tank is feeding drinking water, sometimes known as 'potable water' to the building, in which case annual clean and disinfection is required.

2. “You need routine Legionella sampling for domestic systems”

Routine Legionella sampling is often recommended where it isn’t needed. For most domestic systems (normal hot and cold systems in commercial settings), regular sampling isn’t required unless there’s a specific cause for concern or a clear reason under your risk assessment. Many companies include it automatically in PPM schedules, but in most cases, that’s an upsell rather than a necessity.

3. “Risk assessments must be done every two years”

The truth is, there’s no fixed timeframe for how often you must redo a Legionella risk assessment. The official guidance says they should be reviewed regularly and updated when necessary - for example, after system changes, occupancy shifts, or new findings. The idea that it’s every two years on the dot is a myth that often leads to unnecessary costs.

4. “You can’t review your existing risk assessment - you need a new one”

This one’s particularly frustrating. A good risk assessment is a living document, designed to be reviewed and updated, not thrown away and rewritten from scratch. Unless there’s a major system change or significant new information, you can usually review and amend your existing assessment, saving time and money in the process.

5. “We can’t fully take apart your TMV during servicing”

If a technician says this, it’s time to ask questions. A thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) should always be properly dismantled and cleaned during servicing. If the valve’s design doesn’t allow for that, it should be replaced - but in most cases, it’s not the design that’s the problem, it’s the engineer’s skill set. Proper servicing means doing the job thoroughly, not cutting corners, and will save you money in the long run, by reducing failures and downtime.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot of misinformation floating around in the water hygiene world, and not all of it is malicious - sometimes it’s just outdated. The key is to work with a contractor who’s honest, transparent, and focused on what’s actually necessary for compliance and safety, not what’s most profitable.

If you’d like a free, no-obligation review of your current water hygiene setup, get in touch with the team at Titan Water. We’ll help you identify what’s essential—and what might just be a myth.