Water
Inproperly managed water is an established route for infectious disease transmission on ships. To protect the health of passengers and crew, water used for potable purposes should be controlled via means of a series of control measures starting from the shore and distribution system through to ship treatment and storage systems and onto each supply outlet.
The first strategy for preventing the spread of water borne disease is to ensure that water used for bunkering is safe.
Even if the water at the port is safe, this does not ensure that it will remain safe during the storage and transfer activities that follow. Effective management, controls and monitoring should be in place for all aspects of the water system.
Water quality standards specifically relating to potable water quality on board vessels are given in the Health Protection Agency (now known as the United Kingdom Health Security Agency) guidance ‘Guidelines for Water Quality On Board Merchant Ships Including Passenger Vessels’. These standards are outlined below:
| PERAMETER | ACCEPTABLE LEVEL | ACTION LEVEL |
| E. coli | 0 | >1 per 100 ml |
| Enterococci | 0 | >1 per 100 ml |
| Coliforms | 0 | >1 per 100 ml |
| Aerobic Colony Count | <100 | > 1000 per ml |
Sampling
Regular water quality monitoring should be performed to demonstrate that water is not contaminated. While simple on-site tests (e.g. regular verification and operational monitoring of pH and chlorination) can be completed by trained and competent crew members, sampling for complex chemical and microbiological analysis should always be performed by well-trained professionals authorised by a certified laboratory.
Ships operate in isolated environments where access to clean water is limited, making onboard water systems a critical source of potable water. Regular microbiological testing helps identify potential contamination early, ensures compliance with international and maritime health regulations and prevents outbreaks that could compromise both passenger and crew safety. On board drinking water should be tested for the presence of E.coli, Coliforms and intestinal Enterococci. These bacteria are indicators of faecal contamination and can pose a serious risk of gastrointestinal and other infections, if consumed.
To ensure that the water supplied from shore side hydrants on the Manchester Ship Canal is pure, the Manchester Port Health Authority samples these facilities for analysis on a 6 monthly basis.
Manchester Port Health Authority offers a sampling service for water quality on board vessels. To arrange water sampling please contact us. Please visit our fees page for information on our water sample charges.