There's a legal limit for some places but I think your block of flats is not covered - not uless it's the sort of place that has a warden - 73 however is dangerous...
"At water temperatures over 50ºC there is a risk of scalding which rises with increasing temperatures. For situations where whole body immersion takes place, such as baths and showers, water temperatures should be controlled to 43ºC.
The elderly are at particular risk because their skin tends to be less sensitive, so they might not be able to pull away from hot water quickly enough to avoid scalding. They also tend to be less agile and so are at risk of injury while trying to escape from a scalding bath or a blast of hot water from a shower. Scalding injuries often cover a large area of the body, leading to high rates of morbidity and mortality.”
Your best bet is to call the housing department and ask them what the HSE say about domestic hot water temperatures - point out also that the temperature they're running the system at is probably costing the council more than it should - don't give up - keep beavering away at them until they resolve it - talk to the planning department & environmental health too and your local councilor - they just love this sort of thing - makes them feel needed.
Good luck...
Peccavi, October 2009
