Following the release of the NSW Legionella Regulations on 10 August 2018, we have outlined essential information to help you understand the changes and how they will impact you in the management of cooling towers.

Dedicated Legionella Guidelines Website

We’ve put together all the information you need to know about the Legionella Control Regulations in an easy to understand, dedicated website. Here you’ll get the latest regulation updates and industry news. Find out more.

Key Dates

The new regulations introduce over 10 new requirements with varying dates of implementation, depending on the risk associated with your location and your interactions with Local Government.

The dates for compliance are as follows:

1 January 2018 (already implemented)

  • Monthly sampling and testing for Legionella and heterotrophic colony count
  • Notification of reportable test results to Local Council

10 August 2018

  • New “Approved Form 3” monthly summary report
  • New control strategies for Legionella detections and high HCC results
  • Registration with local government authority
  • Within 4 hours of request by an Environmental Health Officer (EHO), you must provide 5 years’ history of maintenance and operational documentation
  • Risk assessment is required before any newly installed system begins operation

Within 30 days’ notice by Local Council

  • You must display your unique identification number on your cooling tower system within 30 days of the council providing the associated number
    Before 30 November 2018
  • Risk Management Plans for high risk locations
  • Your local government authority will let you know if you are high, medium or low risk

Before 1 July 2019

  • Risk Management Plan (RMP) for low risk and medium risk locations
  • A RMP certificate of completion is required to be provided to your local government authority within 7 days of completing a risk assessment
  • Your local government authority will let you know if you are high, medium or low risk

September 2019 onwards

  • The audit period is 12 months from the date of your first RMP
  • We will provide more information in regards to this process once the audits are due in September 2019