Yes, but only if your boiler is set correctly. Legionella bacteria grow fastest between 25°C and 50°C — so a water heater turned down "to save energy" is often more dangerous than one turned up. Most Amsterdam apartments never have a problem, but the risk climbs fast in exactly the temperature range some landlords pick without realising it.

The temperature window that matters

Legionella bacteria multiply best in water between 25°C and 50°C, with growth peaking around 30-40°C, according to Dutch water-safety body Kiwa. Below 20°C or above 60°C, the bacteria barely survive. That's why the standard advice for home installations is simple: keep your boiler or combi-ketel set to at least 60°C, always.

Why this catches expats out

Some landlords lower the storage temperature to cut gas use, or to stop children scalding themselves at the tap — both understandable reasons, but both can land the water squarely in the danger zone. If you've moved into a Dutch apartment and the shower never quite gets properly hot, that's not just an inconvenience. It's worth checking.

Who's actually responsible

For a normal rental apartment, there's no legal requirement for a formal legionella risk assessment — that only applies to "priority" buildings such as hospitals, care homes, and places offering overnight accommodation. But under the Drinkwaterbesluit and NEN 1006, the building owner or VvE still has a general duty of care to keep the water supply safe. In practice, that means a tenant can reasonably ask a landlord to have the boiler temperature checked.

What you can do yourself

• Run every tap, including ones you rarely use, for at least a minute once a week — including a second bathroom or guest shower.
• Ask your landlord, or a plumber, to confirm the boiler is set to at least 60°C at the source.
• Clean showerheads regularly. Limescale and biofilm inside them are what actually aerosolises the bacteria.

If a tap hasn't been used for more than a week, for example after a holiday, run it hot for a few minutes before showering under it, and avoid standing directly in the spray while you do.

When to call a plumber

Checking and correctly setting a boiler's storage temperature takes a licensed plumber under half an hour. Your English Plumber does boiler checks and adjustments from €145 incl. VAT, on-site within two hours, in English.

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should my boiler be set to?

At least 60°C at the source, per Dutch guidance — hot enough that the tap itself may need a thermostatic mixer to prevent scalding.

Can I get sick from drinking legionella-contaminated water?

No. The risk comes from inhaling fine water droplets, typically from showers, not from drinking the water.

Is this a bigger risk in old Amsterdam canal houses?

Not because of the building's age directly, but older systems with long, rarely-used pipe runs — common in canal houses split into multiple units — give the bacteria more stagnant water to grow in.

Who pays if the boiler needs adjusting?

Boiler settings and maintenance are typically a landlord responsibility under Dutch rental law, the same as with heating and hot water supply generally.