ES · Expiry & renewal tracking
Keep water system disinfection on schedule
The owner or operator of a building water system in Spain must have it cleaned and disinfected at least once a year, with no more than 12 months between disinfections (Royal Decree 487/2022, Annex IV, Part B.1). Under a PPCL plan, Legionella is tested at least quarterly and 15 to 30 days after each disinfection.
The owner of an installation that could become a source of Legionnaires' disease, such as a building's hot and cold water system, is responsible for complying with Spain's Royal Decree 487/2022; if someone else operates it, the operator is responsible unless it is proven that the owner is (Article 5.1 and 5.2). Legionella must be controlled and prevented through a Prevention and Control Plan (PPCL) or a Legionella Health Plan (PSL) (Article 7.1). Installations in buildings used exclusively as housing are excluded if they do not affect the outdoor environment, although the health authority may require measures if it suspects a risk (Article 3.2).
The whole water system must be inspected, cleaned and disinfected at least once a year, with no more than 12 months between one disinfection and the next (Annex IV, Part B.1). As a general rule it is also cleaned and disinfected when first put into service, after a shutdown of more than one month, after a repair or structural change, when a general inspection advises it, or when the health authority requires it (Annex IV, Part A.5).
Under a PPCL, water systems are tested for Legionella spp. at least every quarter, and also 15 to 30 days after each cleaning and disinfection (Annex V, Part C and Table 3). Samples are taken by an entity accredited to UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 (Article 11.5). Under a PSL, sampling parameters and frequencies may be adjusted based on that plan (Article 13.1).
At a glance
| Cleaning and disinfection of the whole system | At least once a year, no more than 12 months apart (Annex IV, B.1) |
|---|---|
| Legionella spp. testing | Quarterly under a PPCL (Annex V, Table 3) |
| After each cleaning and disinfection | Legionella test 15 to 30 days later (Annex V, Part C) |
| Hot water storage tanks | Quarterly check of their condition (Annex IV, B.2) |
| Taps and showers | Monthly rotating check; all of them at least once a year (Annex IV, B.1) |
| Hot water temperature | Daily in final storage tanks (at least 60 ºC) and the return circuit (at least 50 ºC) (Annex IV, B.2) |
| Records | Plan records kept for at least 5 years (Article 8.5) |
Extra cleaning and disinfection is done when the system is first put into service, after a shutdown of more than one month, after a repair or structural change, when a general inspection advises it, or when the health authority requires it (Annex IV, Part A.5).
Who is responsible?
The owner or, where applicable, the operator. Hiring an external service does not relieve them of ensuring that the installation poses no risk to public health, and the contracted tasks must be described in writing (Article 5.4 and 5.10). The company that carries out cleaning and disinfection issues a record or certificate for each installation using the model in Annex X (Article 5.7). The plan's technical manager draws up, implements and evaluates the PPCL or PSL and proposes corrective measures (Article 5.12).
If the deadline passes
Breaches of Royal Decree 487/2022 are administrative offences under health law, namely the General Health Act, Law 14/1986, and the General Public Health Act, Law 33/2011 (Article 19). Penalties are governed by Articles 58 to 61 of Law 33/2011 (Article 20).
Thermal disinfection of hot water
After the storage tank is cleaned, the water is heated to 70 ºC for at least 2 hours and all taps and showers are opened section by section until every outlet reaches 60 ºC, keeping them open for at least 5 minutes. If the installation cannot reach 70 ºC or the heat could affect the cold water, biocides are used instead (Annex IV, Part B.5).
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add each building or installation and record the deadline for the next cleaning and disinfection, at most 12 months after the last one; add another entry for the quarterly Legionella test.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day itself.
- The treatment company can upload the cleaning and disinfection certificate or the laboratory report through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
- Assign a responsible person, such as the plan's technical manager or the maintenance lead; emails arrive in each recipient's language. If a date passes, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- How often must a water system be disinfected in Spain?
- At least once a year, with no more than 12 months between disinfections, and also in the cases listed in Annex IV, Part A.5 (Royal Decree 487/2022, Annex IV, Part B.1).
- How often is Legionella tested?
- Under a PPCL, at least quarterly for water systems, and also 15 to 30 days after each cleaning and disinfection (Annex V, Part C and Table 3).
- Does it apply to residential buildings?
- Installations in buildings used exclusively as housing are excluded if they do not affect the outdoor environment; the health authority may require measures if it suspects a risk (Article 3.2).
- Who takes the samples?
- An entity or company accredited for sampling under UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (Article 11.5).
Sources
Last checked: Sep 30, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.
Made for domestic water system disinfection (Legionella) (Spain)
A ready template for domestic water system disinfection (Legionella) (Spain) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.
Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each domestic water system disinfection (Legionella) (Spain) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
Assign an owner
Give each domestic water system disinfection (Legionella) (Spain) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.