Guernsey hospital clears water system of legionella

Legionella bacteria have been eradicated from the water system at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital, according to the health department.

Ed Freestone, from the department, said: "We have basically cleared it out of the system and that is a really good result. We have cracked the problem."

Heat treatment was used after chemicals failed to solve the problem.

Unacceptably high levels of bacteria were found in January following the implementation of new, routine checks.

"We've found taps we never knew we had," he said.

The source of the bacteria has not been identified.

However, Mr Freestone pointed to the number of phases of development at the hospital over 80 years, leading to water lying stagnant in some lengths of redundant pipe-work.

Mr Freestone said all the plumbing in the hospital would now be "flushed at regular intervals".