No items found.
Water tank inspections are intended to assess the condition of water storage tanks. They involve checking the tank for signs of contamination, fouling, vermin, debris or corrosion.
Tank inspections should be part of your regular water hygiene maintenance routine, and are crucial for protecting building occupants from water-related hazards.
Storage tank inspections are important for two main reasons:
Regulatory compliance - water storage tank inspections are required in order to stay compliant with strict guidelines and legislation, including HSG274, ACOP L8 and the Health and Safety at Work Act
Occupant safety - as a dutyholder, you have a responsibility to ensure the safety of your building’s occupants, and take action to keep your water system clean and free from bacteria or contamination
Unchecked, water storage tanks can become fouled and accumulate sludge and debris, which in turn encourages the growth of harmful bacteria such as Legionella.
According to HSG274, water storage tanks should be inspected annually. This involves checking the condition of the tank inside and out. The state of the tank will determine what action is required, if any, and how often.
HSG274 Figure 2.12 indicates the appropriate steps based on the findings of the inspection. These can vary from cleaning and disinfection to more serious remedial works.
If issues are found in your storage tank, remedial action will be required more often to prevent them from recurring.
To ensure the same quality and strict adherence to all relevant regulations, we operate a proven three-step process for our water tank inspection services:
Quote and Assessment
Start by reaching out to our friendly team. We will consult with you about the number of storage tanks at your property, their size and type, so we can plan your inspection and issue an accurate quote. We can then arrange a date for your inspection to take place.
Inspection
One of our expert water hygiene technicians will attend your site at the agreed date and time, ensuring clear communication throughout. They will conduct an HSG274-compliant inspection of your water tank or tanks, evaluating all necessary parameters.
Report
Finally, we will provide you with a detailed report. This will include a clear, action-oriented breakdown of our findings.
At EMS Water, we also provide a range of remedial services to address any issues found during your inspection. We are always happy to provide these to our clients, but remedial services are quoted separately upon request, to prevent any conflict of interest between our inspections and remedial services.
We offer expert water storage tank inspections for a wide range of potable and non-potable tank types and materials, including:
Loft tanks
Above-ground tanks
Underground tanks
Whatever type of tank you have and wherever it is installed, we can provide thorough, regulation-compliant water tank inspections.
There are several issues that we find regularly during storage tank inspections:
Debris - because water is allowed to sit still while inside storage tanks, any suspended materials gathered from elsewhere in the system tend to settle in the bottom of the tank, building up over time
Corrosion - metal tank components can begin to rust with constant exposure to moisture
Contamination - in some cases, water tanks can become contaminated with bacterial growth such as Legionella, posing serious health risks to building occupants
Vermin - storage tanks can be impacted by vermin, including rodents, birds, insects and even reptiles and amphibians, which can find their way into the tank and become trapped
Any of the issues listed above will require remedial action of some kind to keep your water tank safe and compliant.
EMS Water is one of the UK’s leading water hygiene consultancies. We offer HSG274-compliant water storage tank inspections, helping dutyholders meet their obligations with ease.
Our expert team conducts thorough inspections followed by a detailed report with clear, actionable findings. We provide impartial, legally-grounded advice and support for every aspect of your water hygiene compliance.
With branches around the UK, including in Hereford, Worcester, London and Cardiff, we have been helping clients around the country for many years. To book your tank inspection, just reach out to us today by calling 0800 358 1100, emailing info@emswater.co.uk or filling out our contact form.
