Did you know that Legionellaire's disease can be caused by contaminated screenwash?
While agreeing entirely that it was daylight robbery to want to charge £46 to flush out the screenwash system ("Car Clinic", pM8, 16th October), may I suggest that it may save the health (or even the lives) of some of your readers if you were to find space to point out that the risk of not using screenwash additive is not just nasty smells.
A Telegraph article (www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7825841/Car-windscreen-spray-raises-Legionnaires-risk.html) mentioned an estimate that 20 per cent of cases of Legionella were caused by contaminated screenwash systems where no additive was used. The ventilation air intakes are usually just below the windscreen, in the ideal place to take in fine droplets from the screenwashing jets for the occupants to breathe in. The commercial additives contain alcohols that are quite effective bactericides for bacteria like Legionella, which don't form resistant spores. I hope that you will take it as a compliment that I think a warning from you would probably reach more readers than did the original article.
A Telegraph article (www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7825841/Car-windscreen-spray-raises-Legionnaires-risk.html) mentioned an estimate that 20 per cent of cases of Legionella were caused by contaminated screenwash systems where no additive was used. The ventilation air intakes are usually just below the windscreen, in the ideal place to take in fine droplets from the screenwashing jets for the occupants to breathe in. The commercial additives contain alcohols that are quite effective bactericides for bacteria like Legionella, which don't form resistant spores. I hope that you will take it as a compliment that I think a warning from you would probably reach more readers than did the original article.
Asked on 14 October 2010 by PJ, Woodbridge
Answered by
Honest John
What you write makes perfect sense, and we have gone there in the past. But no harm in revisiting this with a reminder.
Similar questions
Contaminated screen wash water is a widespread problem and often produces unpleasant odours. All water contains some micro-organisms that will increase to unhealthy levels in water stored over long periods....
The windscreen washer water filter of my wife’s 2003 BMW 320d is blocked. The nozzles are ok, but not having used the windscreen water for six months due to illness, the filter is blocked. The car handbook...
The screenwash on my 2012 Citroen C4 works on the rear screen but not on the front windscreen. This fault has just appeared. But what is mystifying me is that I can hear the pump working when selecting...
.jpg)
