CORONAVIRUS - FLUSH DRINKING WATER FACILITIES THOROUGHLY BEFORE REOPENING TO THE PUBLIC
The OSAV lays down the requirements that must be met to ensure that drinking water, shower water and bath water do not endanger the health of consumers. The self-monitoring of water suppliers and the official controls of the cantons ensure that these requirements are met.
From 27 April 2020, the first establishments will resume their activities. In many cases, the drinking water installations were hardly used for several weeks, which encourages the proliferation of microorganisms such as legionella. Legionella can cause severe pneumonia (called legionellosis). It is therefore imperative to rinse drinking water installations thoroughly before they are put back into operation.
This simple and effective gesture protects the health of users. The Swiss Gas and Water Industry Association (SVGW) has prepared an information sheet for this purpose.