Legionella presence scary for residents

Concerned Beachlands residents last night were told legionnaires' disease, which has claimed one life, could be a long-term and widespread problem.

But Auckland Regional Public Health Service officials said if residents cleaned their water tanks and treated their water immediately, the risk would be substantially reduced.

About 300 residents from the wider region packed Te Puru Park Community Hall last night to raise concerns about the disease that has killed an 80-year-old man, infected a 40-year-old man, and has health officials monitoring three others.

Three of the five water supplies used by those parties have tested positive for legionella. Officials are still awaiting the other results.

It is the first time legionella spores have been found in household roof-collected water systems.

ARPHS medical officer Craig Thornley conceded the disease could already be widespread in the community, as a lack of resources meant only systems for nine households in the affected area had been tested.

Those results, which could reveal the source of the contamination, are up to a fortnight away.

He said if the source was still prevalent, it could potentially make it a long-term problem.

"It makes us vulnerable coming to a meeting and not having all the answers, but there is an issue now, so we're telling people now what they should be doing."

Maintaining water tanks was the responsibility of each household.

He said the source could have been the vapour from a contaminated water blaster, which has since been treated, that drifted into other systems.

"The ultimate source may not be around any more. What we've found is bacteria in those [water] systems may well be in conditions conducive to growth, and that's what we're trying to deal with - how to manage the legionella that are there by maintaining water tanks on a regular basis."

But people were sceptical.

The infected 40-year-old, who did not want to be named, said at the meeting he had cleaned his tank 18 months ago and refilled his water tank at Christmas, "but I still got it".

The son-in-law of the 80-year-old who died told the Herald: "We have to establish what the source is.

"I can maintain my tank but if the next-door neighbour doesn't and his tank is contaminated and he's spraying his hedge next summer and I'm outside and feeling a bit crook ... I could die."

He said he lived next door to his father-in-law in "the thick of it all".

"This is potentially a continuing issue over time. That's a pretty scary issue."

The issue raised concerns of local firefighters and water suppliers, who attended the meeting to seek advice on how to safely go about their jobs.

Local pastor Neil Hamilton said he didn't come away from the meeting with "any great confidence".

"Nine households in one small area is all they've tested. How ridiculous is that?

"It's a resourcing issue. One Government department can't talk to another without a chequebook."

Manukau City Mayor Sir Barry Curtis offered at the meeting to fund testing of 20 per cent of Beachlands households' water systems, and to mail-drop information to ratepayers on how to look after their water tanks.

A health service spokesman welcomed the offer and said it would lead to further talks between the service and the council.

How to look after your water tank:

* They should be cleaned by professionals every 6-12 months.

* To treat water in relatively clean tanks, use chlorine - aim for 5mg of chlorine per litre of water (add 167ml of unscented bleach, such as Janola, per 1000 litres of water, then allow water to stand for 24 hours before drawing off for drinking).

* For tanks with a lot of biological matter, aim for 10mg chlorine per litre of water.

* Boil water before drinking.