These forms and templates can help you comply with some of the requirements of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Cooling tower registration form
Cooling tower systems must be registered with the Department of Health. A penalty applies if you do not register a cooling tower system.
Registration is issued for one, two or three years. The applicant can choose which registration period they wish to apply for.
Cooling tower systems registration fees are charged per cooling tower.
To register a cooling tower system complete the cooling tower registration form and email to legionella@health.vic.gov.au.
Notify to decommission or remove cooling tower
A registration holder must notify the department within 30 days after a cooling tower system has been decommissioned or removed. A copy of the current registration certificate must be attached to the notification form.
Email the completed notification form and current registration certificate to legionella@health.vic.gov.au.
Notify change of registration details - Cooling tower system
A registration holder must notify the department with 30 days after the following change of details:
- change of registration holder’s contact details including mailing addresses, mobile phone numbers, and email addresses;
- transfer of ownership of land where cooling system(s) is/are located;
- transfer of ownership of cooling tower system;
- change of water treatment service provider;
- addition of a cooling tower to a cooling tower system;
- removal of a cooling tower from a cooling tower system;
- relocation of a cooling tower system;
- change of a registration duration (1,2 or 3 year duration).
Email the completed notification form to legionella@health.vic.gov.au.
Notify Legionella detection
It is a requirement under the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 that the responsible person must notify the department within 24 hours when Legionella is detected:
- In three consecutive samples from the cooling tower
- at a level greater than 1,000 cfu/ml in a single sample from the cooling tower.
Under the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019, it is an offence to:
- tamper with a sample of water taken from the cooling tower, and
- falsify a laboratory report for HCC or Legionella
Notification can be made by emailing the department at legionella@health.vic.gov.au.
Risk management plans
A template to develop risk management plans is provided as a guide, but other formats may be used.
Auditors
The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 requires that a cooling tower risk management plan be independently audited by an approved auditor every year.
- Audit certificate template
- Completed compliant RMP audit summary template
- Audit worksheet
- Application to become a certified approved auditor of cooling tower system risk management plans
- Information about RMP Auditor Certification
Fees and refunds
Cooling tower systems registration fees are charged per cooling tower.
Fees are automatically scheduled to increase on 1 July each year.
Cooling tower registration fees are exempt of GST under Division 81 of the Goods and Services Act 1999.
You may apply to the department to obtain a refund by completing the online refund .
Reviewed 23 May 2021