Risk assessment of the domestic water supply network

Risk assessment of the domestic water supply network

Safe Water Starts Within the Building

CERIUM d.o.o. provides the service of preparing Risk Assessments for the Domestic Water Supply Networks of Priority Premises in accordance with the Water for Human Consumption Act (Official Gazette 30/23) and the Ordinance on the Control of Parameters of Consumers’ Domestic Water Supply Networks and Other Systems of Public Health Significance, and on the Education Plan and Programme for All Stakeholders (Official Gazette 43/24).

The assessment systematically identifies potential biological, chemical and physical risks that may affect the safety and quality of water within the building and defines measures for controlling those risks.

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Who Is Required to Have a Risk Assessment?

The law establishes this obligation for so-called priority premises, i.e. large premises with a significant number of users who may be exposed to water-related risks.

The requirement applies in particular to:

  • hospitals and healthcare institutions
  • schools and other educational institutions
  • kindergartens and childcare facilities
  • residential social care facilities
  • sports halls
  • hotels
  • campsites
  • pupil and student dormitories
  • shopping centres
  • correctional institutions
  • military barracks

The statutory deadline for establishing and preparing the Risk Assessment was 31 December 2025. Priority premises that have not yet prepared the assessment should therefore bring their operations into compliance with the prescribed requirements.

What Is a Domestic Water Supply Network?

The term “domestic water supply network” does not refer only to family homes.

It refers to the internal water distribution system within a building, from the connection point or point at which water enters the building to the final outlets, such as taps, showers and other points of use.

Depending on the building, the assessment may include cold and hot water systems, storage tanks, water heaters, circulation lines, fire hydrant systems and other water-related systems.

What Does the Risk Assessment Process Include?

  1. System Inspection and Description

We collect the existing documentation and information about the building and analyse the design and operation of the domestic water supply network.

This includes, among other things:

  • the connection point to the public water supply network
  • the cold and hot water systems
  • storage tanks and hot water preparation systems
  • circulation lines
  • final points of use
  • materials that come into contact with water
  • the fire hydrant system
  • related technical systems
  • parts of the building that are used occasionally or seasonally.

  1. Hazard Identification

Potential hazards are identified for individual parts of the system, including:

  • biological risks – for example, the growth and multiplication of microorganisms and Legionella
  • chemical risks – for example, lead or other substances that may enter the water from installation materials
  • physical and technical risks – water stagnation, unsuitable temperatures, improper installation design, dead legs and other system deficiencies.

  1. Risk Assessment and Evaluation

For each identified hazard, the following are assessed:

  • likelihood of occurrence
  • potential consequences
  • number of people exposed
  • vulnerability of users
  • existing control measures.

Based on the results, the level of risk and the priority for addressing individual hazards are determined.

  1. Definition of Control Measures

Appropriate preventive and corrective measures are defined for unacceptable or elevated risks.

Measures may include:

  • monitoring cold and hot water temperatures
  • flushing parts of the system
  • eliminating water stagnation
  • system maintenance and cleaning
  • disinfection
  • technical modifications to the installation
  • replacement of unsuitable materials
  • additional laboratory testing.

  1. Operational Monitoring

We define how the effectiveness of control measures will be monitored:

what is monitored – where – how – how often – who is responsible – what action should be taken in the event of a deviation.

  1. Documentation, Plans and Records

The final Risk Assessment document is not merely a one-off report.

It forms the basis of the self-monitoring system for the domestic water supply network and includes the necessary plans, procedures, measures and records that the facility must implement and maintain.

Legionella and Lead

Particular attention is paid to the parameters Legionella and lead, which are key monitoring parameters for domestic water supply networks.

Priority premises are required to carry out monitoring of their domestic water supply networks at least once a year, within the prescribed scope.

The Risk Assessment makes it possible to identify critical points within the system and properly plan control measures and sampling.

Why CERIUM?

One Expert Partner for the Entire Process

CERIUM provides expert support from the initial inspection of the building and collection of relevant data through to preparation of the final Risk Assessment and definition of the necessary measures.

Our approach includes:

✓ inspection of the building and water supply network
✓ analysis of existing documentation
✓ identification of hazards and critical points
✓ risk evaluation and categorisation
✓ definition of preventive and corrective measures
✓ preparation of an operational monitoring plan
✓ preparation of the necessary forms and records
✓ preparation of the final Risk Assessment document
✓ professional support in implementing the prescribed measures.

Do You Need a Risk Assessment for Your Domestic Water Supply Network?

If you manage a hotel, school, kindergarten, hospital, residential care facility, shopping centre, sports facility or another priority premise, contact us to determine whether the requirement applies to you and to request a quotation.

CERIUM d.o.o.

Koprivnička 70/A, Zagreb
01 580 59 21 [info@cerium.hr](mailto:info@cerium.hr)

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Safe Water. Controlled Risks. Compliant Premises.

This is based on Articles 29 and 30 of the Act: the owner of a priority premise must have a document entitled “Risk Assessment of the Domestic Water Supply Network of a Priority Premise”, and the assessment must include a description of the system, hazard identification, risk analysis, control measures and system verification. The Ordinance published in Official Gazette 43/24 further specifies the required content of the document in detail, including a description of the installation, a schematic representation, hazard identification, risk assessment, control measures and operational monitoring.