Garden shower hygiene: avoiding legionella
What are legionella?
Legionella are bacteria that multiply in warm water. Ideal conditions for them are temperatures between 25 and 50 °C, long periods in which the water stands still and a constant supply of fresh water. They can survive between about 5 and 55 °C; from 60 °C they become inactive within a few minutes.
Where are they found?
- Solar garden showers with a flooded interior
- Water tanks, boilers and hot water pipes
- Cold water pipes with long periods of non-use or exposure to external heat
- Dead-end pipes, swimming pools and baths, public showers
Why this matters
The bacteria are inhaled through the fine water droplets (aerosols) produced when showering, outdoors as well. This can lead to severe pneumonia, known as Legionnaires' disease. People with weakened immune systems and heavy smokers are particularly at risk.
How our garden showers are built
All our garden showers are designed so that only a small amount of water remains in the system. They are not completely flooded with water inside, but have a high-quality internal pipework system. This is why they do not need to be drained after every use.
For this reason, we deliberately do not sell solar showers: the models currently available carry a risk of legionella growth.