Lack of a water plan – Bibbyline Stockholm’s first big mistake?
Did Legionella signal disaster for the Bibbyline Stockholm from the beginning of its short life? We look at the short history of the barge as an asylum seeker facility and examine how the lack of a robust water plan helped to shorten its brief career.
There was opposition to using Bibbyline Stockholm as accommodation for male asylum seekers from the outset, but the public was undoubtedly shocked to learn of the discovery of Legionella bacteria onboard within a few days of its initial occupation. No sooner had its somewhat reluctant residents embarked, than they had to be taken off again while remedial works were carried out to clean and sanitise the water system.
The first eight residents were taken on board on 8th August 2023, and more were to follow in the following days. Less than a week later, when the first disaster hit, there were 39 asylum seekers onboard.
On 12th August 2023, just 5 days into its purpose, as accommodation for asylum seekers waiting for the legal process to decide their eventual fate, the 39 residents then on board had to be disembarked when the presence of Legionella bacteria was discovered.
As the barge was designed to accommodate up to 500 residents, it seems obvious to us that there must have been large areas of the floating facility’s water system that were not frequently in use. Clearly there should have been a water plan in place to ensure that L8 Legionella prevention protocols were in place.
We know that the fairly elderly Stockholm barge had not been occupied for some time before being pressed into service for its new purpose