South Australian Legislation and Compliance Requirements
Cooling towers, warm-water systems, and associated plant must be managed in accordance with regulatory requirements designed to prevent microbial contamination, with particular focus on Legionella control.
In South Australia, cooling tower regulatory oversight is governed by:
- South Australian Public Health Act 2011
- South Australian Public Health (Legionella) Regulations 2013
- AS/NZS 3666: Air-handling and Water Systems of Buildings – Microbial Control
Together, these define legal responsibilities for building owners, facility managers, and service providers.
Legal Requirement Overview (South Australia)
System Registration – All cooling towers must be registered with the local council, with records kept up to date.
Minimum Microbiological Testing – Cooling tower water must be tested at least annually.
Legionella Sampling – Legionella sampling must be done at least annually or when directed by local health authorities.
Cleaning and Disinfection Towers must be cleaned and disinfected at least six monthly, and immediately if Legionella results exceed action limits.
Record Keeping – A logbook must be maintained and be available upon request. Logbook must have five (5) years of records, and must contain the following:
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
- Biocide Dose Rates
- System and Site Plans
- Drift Eliminator Compliance Letter
- Service Schedules
- Cooling Tower Start Up and Shutdown Procedure
- Pre-clean Certificate
- Tower Cleaning and Decontamination Procedure
- Operation and Maintenance Manuals
- Equipment Manufacturers Recommended Replacement Time Frames
- Service, Tower Clean and Bacteria Test Results
- Positive Legionella Action Plan (Including Reporting Obligations)
- Nomination and Contact Details of Responsible Person
Failure to comply can result in legal penalties, fines, or regulatory enforcement action, up to and including an order to shut down the cooling tower until compliance is gained.
Corrective Actions in The Case of Legionella Positive Test Results
In the case of a positive legionella test result, corrective actions must be undertaken within 24 hours of notification.
Corrective actions must follow the control strategies as outlined in Schedule 4 of the South Australian Public Health (Legionella) Regulations 2013.
Legionella Result (CFU/mL) Required Action Summary
Non detection (<10cfu/mL) Continue routine maintenance and monitoring.
Detected as >10 and <100cfu/mL – Investigate problems (check cleanliness, maintenance procedures, biocide dosing, structural integrity)
Review water treatment programs.
Take necessary remedial action including immediate on-line disinfection in accordance with Appendix B of AS/NZS 3666.3, and undertake control strategy (3).
Detected as >100 and <1000cfu/mL – Follow control strategy (2) and
(3) Retest water within 3 to 7 days of plant operation after on-line disinfection
(a) If not detected, return to control strategy (1)
(b) If detected at <100 cfu/mL repeat control strategy (2)
(c) If detected at >100 cfu/mL investigate problem and review water treatment program, immediately carry out a system decontamination in accordance with the procedure set out in Part 1 of Schedule 3 of this Guideline, and repeat control strategy (3) or shut down and clean cooling water system.
Detected as >1,000 cfu/mL – Immediately shut down the system or decontaminate the systemin accordance with a prescribed decontamination procedure(Schedule 3) or a decontamination procedure approved by the Minister
(a) Notify the relevant authority of the result within 24 hours
(b) Investigate problem
Review water treatment program.Take necessary remedial action.
Retest water within 3 to 7 days of plant operation after system decontamination.
Respond (as per this table) according to results.
These thresholds and corrective action strategies are legally enforceable in South Australia.
Annual independent audit
Cooling tower systems are audited annually by the local council, or an independent third party auditor if the council requests.
The local council informs the owner of a cooling tower system via writing when an audit is to be carried out.
During these audits, the logbook and cooling tower are inspected, and a water sample is taken from each cooling tower to test for legionella.
Summary – Legislation and Compliance
All cooling towers must be registered with the local council, including the contact details of the nominated responsible person.
A compliant logbook must be kept and available must be kept and available upon request.
In the case of a positive legionella test result, corrective actions must be carried out in compliance with Schedule 4 of the South Australian Public Health (Legionella) Regulations 2013.
An annual audit will be undertaken by the local council to inspect the logbook, cooling tower system and a legionella test taken.