Water is essential to us all, but employers have a statutory responsibility to ensure that any water available at their workplace is free from contamination, whether it is for drinking or showering purposes.
Water that is supplied to buildings from a mains water supply can contain bacteria. It is the responsibility of water companies to remove all contaminants from the water before it is piped to homes and businesses so that it is safe to consume.
However, some bacteria, generally at very low levels, can enter and remain and if the bacteria are allowed to breed, it can cause a problem.
TVC testing can be used to assess the efficiency of a water treatment regime. High results can indicate that the cleaning regime needs to be carried out more often.
What is TVC in water testing?
Total viable count (TVC) is a test that estimates the total numbers of microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeast, or mould species, that are present in a water sample.
There is no standard acceptable value for TVC results in potable water. Guidelines say that if on-going testing indicates a significant increase in numbers over time, then a system may be contaminated or may need cleaning.
A raised TVC in a drinking water sample can impart a stale/ stagnant taste and/or odour to the water.
But how do you know that it is safe?
We can give you peace of mind by undertaking targeted drinking water checks.
Safetyboss can help by:
Carrying out targeted water sampling,
Getting it analysed at an accredited laboratory,
Completing a short risk assessment and then,
Providing you with a short report setting out the laboratory accredited results including any priority actions which we can also undertake to give you peace of mind.