Water warning for charity

CHARITY workers have been told not to turn on the taps or use the toilets at their base after bacteria linked to Legionnaire’s Disease was found in the water supply.

Rotherham Talking Newspaper volunteers have been told by landlords Rotherham Borough Council that it is safe to work from the Millennium Centre in Clifton where high levels of contamination were discovered, despite advice from health experts to close the building.

Two other groups which use the Badsley Moor Lane centre have already been transferred from the building, including elderly residents who use the day care provision, because they are deemed most at risk to the bacteria which could lead to a potentially fatal lung infection.

The team of 30 volunteers from the Talking Newspaper charity are the only ones left in the building, where they have been told to use bottled water as a precaution.

Roy Beachill, co-ordinator of the Talking Newspaper service, said that he had advised the team of volunteers to have a blood test.

“We have been told very little other than it is safe as long as we don't use the toilets and use bottled water,” he added.

“What’s puzzling to me is that if it is safe, why is everybody else leaving the building?

"Some of our volunteers are vulnerable and have inherent illnesses so I am worried about their health and I'm advising them to have blood tests.

“Because we have been told there is no risk, I’m not telling them to stay away but I respect their decision if they decide otherwise."

The Millennium Centre is owned by NHS Rotherham, who lease the building to Rotherham Borough Council.

The contamination was discovered in the water system during preparations for refurbishment work due to be carried out in the summer.

Dr John Radford, director of public health at NHS Rotherham, said: “A recent inspection found high levels of bacteria that can cause Legionnaire's Disease.

“We have been liaising with the Health Protection Agency and as a cautionary measure we advised that the building should be closed.

“Elderly and vulnerable people are most at risk and a decision was made to transfer elderly day care out of the building.

“There have been no cases of Legionnaire’s at the centre and we have informed all Rotherham GPs and health care partners to be aware of the situation.”

Dr Radford said that despite his advice to close it, the building itself was safe.

“The risk from toilets is low but the contamination in this case was relatively high,” he said.

“If people are not using the toilets and not using the water in the building, the building itself is safe, but there is always a risk that people being people may use the toilet and the water.”

A borough council spokeswoman said that the authority acted immediately once the situation was unearthed.

She added: “The council has carried out a legionella risk assessment and is monitoring the situation in accordance with the approved code of practice for the management of legionella and water treatment.

“Work is being carried out by a specialist water treatment company and it is anticipated that the refurbishment will now take place sooner than was originally planned."

The spokeswoman said that council staff had spoken to a volunteer from the Talking Newspaper Service about the situation.

“It was felt that it would be impractical to relocate Talking Newspapers in the short term due to the specialist nature of their occupation and the facilities that have been installed for their benefit,” she added.

“This would allow Talking Newspapers to remain in occupation at the centre and continue to provide their service.”