Priority installation
Hotels and other accommodation can fall within the priority category under the Dutch Drinking Water Decree. Within its scope, duties can include a risk assessment, management plan, control measures and a logbook.
Practical guide for hotels and restaurants in the Netherlands
Legionella prevention for hotels and restaurants: planning and records
Turn the measures and instructions that apply to your property into clear tasks and keep a usable record on paper or digitally.
This guide is for hotels and every type of restaurant in the Netherlands, whether the restaurant is standalone or part of a hotel. First establish which Legionella rules apply. Then turn the applicable management plan, where required, or documented work instructions into a workable schedule. The guide does not decide which measures, values or intervals apply to your water system.
Which Dutch Legionella rules apply to your hotel or restaurant?
The type of property and water system determine the applicable duties. Use the official ILT rule aid and ask the responsible person or water-system specialist to resolve doubt.
Non-priority installation
A restaurant function alone does not make an installation priority. For non-priority properties, the general duty to provide sound drinking water remains. Use the ILT rule aid to establish the status of the actual property and installation.
Useful for every restaurant, with or without a hotel
A standalone restaurant is not a priority installation because of its restaurant function alone. Article 35 does include a truck stop, petrol station, roadside restaurant or other road-transport property with shower facilities intended for public use. A restaurant may also fall within another listed category, for example when the same property provides accommodation. Check the actual situation with the ILT rule aid.
Turn the management plan or work instructions into workable tasks
Use the risk assessment, management plan and work instructions that apply to the property. For each measure, copy only what employees need for planning, performance and review. If a statutory Legionella management plan is not required, first establish which rules and documented instructions apply at the property.
- 01
Location or outlet
Use the same recognisable name or code as the plan or instruction that applies to the property.
- 02
Measure and work instruction
Link the correct measure and current instruction; do not rewrite specialist steps from memory.
- 03
Frequency from plan or instruction
Copy the interval from the current management plan or documented property instruction. Do not use a general interval for hotels or restaurants.
- 04
Performer and deputy
State who is authorised and instructed and who takes over during absence.
- 05
Required record
Decide in advance which work, outcome, value and unit the instruction requires.
- 06
Review
Name the person who reviews overdue work, deviations and completed follow-up.
Fictional example only
A compact plan could look like this
The codes, locations and roles below are invented. They show only the structure and contain no general temperature, duration or frequency. Use a row only when the measure appears in your own plan or instruction.
| Task | Location or outlet | Instruction | Frequency | Performer | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control measure A | Hotel wing A, outlets listed in the plan | BP-04 | According to current management plan | Appointed employee; deputy under the rota | Date, time, work, outcome and deviation |
| Check B | Standalone restaurant B, checkpoint from the instruction | WI-03 | According to documented property instruction | Appointed competent employee | Prescribed value and unit, outcome and deviation |
| Review C | Water system, report reference | BP-10 | According to the plan or recorded review date | Manager or appointed adviser | Report, assessment, decision and follow-up |
A scheduled task has not yet been performed. Record performance and outcome separately, and close a deviation only after demonstrable follow-up.
From work instruction to maintenance schedule
How PropCentree supports this workflow
Add the tasks from your management plan or work instruction to the relevant property or asset. PropCentree then helps schedule recurring work and keeps completion and history together.
PropCentree does not determine Legionella measures, values or intervals. These come from the risk assessment, management plan or work instruction that applies to the property.
Automatic follow-up scheduling
Use a fixed schedule. After completion, the next service date is calculated automatically and shown in the schedule.
The task with the right property or asset
The technician opens the correct asset and sees the information needed for the work.
Record completion and follow-up
Keep the outcome and any follow-up work with the same maintenance task.
History for the next service
Completed work and the next service date remain linked to the asset.
Record what was actually done
A useful record makes the work traceable and shows which deviation remains open. Use the names and values from the plan or instruction that applies to the property.
Date and time
The actual time of performance, not only the planned date.
Location or outlet
The unambiguous code or name used in the property records.
Task and instruction
The completed measure and the version or reference of the instruction followed.
Performer
The person or specialist organisation that performed the task.
Outcome
A concrete observation or result as required by the instruction.
Value and unit
Only when the instruction requires a measurement; record both value and unit.
Deviation and first action
What differed and which permitted step was taken immediately.
Follow-up and completion
Owner, follow-up date, action taken and verified completion.
A tick only proves that something was recorded. On its own, it does not prove that the water system is safe or that a deviation has been resolved.
Include vacancy, closure and reopening in the schedule
A change in use can affect property-specific tasks. A generic flushing protocol is not suitable for every installation.
- 1
Before the change
Ask the responsible person to determine which risk assessment, plan sections and work instructions apply.
- 2
During the period
Keep scheduled and performed tasks separately visible, including when hotel rooms, restaurant areas or other parts of the property are temporarily unused.
- 3
Before reopening
Ask the responsible person or adviser to determine which checks, measures and review are needed under the applicable plan, work instruction and current situation.
Move from deviation to demonstrable follow-up
Follow the escalation route in the applicable plan or work instruction. Keep the initial signal, interim measure, specialist assessment and final completion distinct.
- 01
Record the deviation
Record the task, location, outcome and relevant value with its unit when prescribed.
- 02
Follow the documented instruction
Take only the measures prescribed by the applicable plan or instruction and the authorised responsible person.
- 03
Assign follow-up
Record the owner, follow-up date and required expertise.
- 04
Verify completion
Record what was done, by whom and when, and who reviewed the completed action.
Sampling, laboratory analysis, interpretation of results and statutory notifications must follow current Dutch rules, the applicable plan or instruction and the appointed specialist organisations. This guide provides no universal decision thresholds.
Download the blank planning and registration sheet
Free planning and registration sheet
The PDF contains blank sheets for property details, planning, performance and follow-up. Enter only values and intervals from the plan or documented instructions that apply to the property.
- No account or email address required.
- Suitable for printing or digital use with selectable text.
- Administrative aid only; not a risk assessment, management plan or guarantee of a complete statutory file.
Frequently asked questions
Is this guide also for a standalone restaurant?
Yes. Every type of restaurant can use the planning and recording method, whether or not it is part of a hotel. The statutory and technical tasks still depend on the actual property, facilities and water system.
How often should Legionella tasks be performed?
Follow the frequency in the current risk assessment, plan or work instruction for the property. This guide deliberately gives no general interval.
What should the logbook contain?
For a priority installation, the owner records the measures, checks and investigations performed and their results. These records are kept for three years. For a workable record, you can also include the time, location or outlet, instruction reference, performer, deviation and follow-up where applicable.
Is a completed registration sheet a complete Legionella file?
No. It supports administration but does not replace the risk assessment, management plan, work instructions, analysis reports, notifications or other records required for the property.
Why can the rules differ between hotels and restaurants?
The statutory classification follows the actual property, facilities and water system, not just the label hotel or restaurant. Accommodation can be relevant. Article 35 also refers specifically to publicly accessible showers at a roadside restaurant or another location associated with road transport. Check the situation with the ILT rule aid.
What should we do during vacancy, reopening or staff changes?
Ask the responsible person to identify the applicable plan tasks, keep deputies and authorisations current and review what is needed before reopening. Do not use a generic protocol without a property-specific assessment.
Can software replace a plan or work instruction?
No. Software can support planning, responsibility and recording, but it does not determine which statutory or technical measures apply to the installation.
Official sources and scope
These sources support the Dutch legal and operational boundaries used in this guide. Before making decisions, check the current source and the plans or instructions that apply to the property.
- ILT: Legionella rule aid
Helps establish which Dutch Legionella rules fit a specific property and water system.Scope: Properties in the Netherlands; a rule aid, not a substitute for specialist assessment where doubt remains.
Accessed: 2026-11-03 - ILT: Legionella supervision
Distinguishes priority from non-priority installations and explains the regulator’s role.Scope: Water systems in the Netherlands.
Accessed: 2026-11-03 - ILT: Legionella, your responsibility
Explains how risk assessment, management plan, measures, work instructions and logbook fit together for priority installations.Scope: Priority water systems in the Netherlands.
Accessed: 2026-11-03 - RIVM: Legionella prevention
Explains that preventive duties can apply to hotels and that other properties do not automatically have the same regime.Scope: Public explanation of the Dutch situation.
Accessed: 2026-11-03 - Dutch Drinking Water Decree, article 35
Defines the categories and outlets covered, including accommodation and publicly accessible showers at a roadside restaurant or another location associated with road transport.Scope: Dutch law; check the current text and exceptions.
Accessed: 2026-11-03 - Dutch Drinking Water Decree, article 38
Sets out measures, work instructions, responsibilities and checks to be included in the management plan.Scope: Priority water systems in the Netherlands within the statutory scope.
Accessed: 2026-11-03 - Dutch Drinking Water Decree, article 40
Links measures, checks and investigations performed to the logbook and sets a three-year retention period.Scope: Priority water systems in the Netherlands within the statutory scope.
Accessed: 2026-11-03
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