Legionella test results from every hospital and aged care facility in Queensland will soon be made public.
The changes, to be introduced into parliament early this year, come after two patients at two Brisbane hospitals last month tested positive to infection from the deadly bacteria.
Hospitals and public aged care facilities have had to test their water supplies for bacteria since a legionella outbreak at Brisbane's Wesley Hospital in 2013 resulted in the death of a patient.
Health Minister Cameron Dick said the new reporting methods would now also extend to private aged care homes, which would be allowed a transition period.
"What we are doing is putting in place a framework, which is more transparent and will give the public more confidence that hospitals are regularly testing their water supplies for legionella bacteria," Mr Dick said.
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"There have been some recent events that have caused me to look closely at this matter and have prompted me to set up a legislative framework."
Mr Dick said current laws prevented the tests from being made public.
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said sick and elderly people were more likely to suffer potentially deadly consequences from the bacteria.
"Our hospitals and aged care facilities house the most vulnerable people in our community, so it is very important that we control risks in those facilities," she said.
Under the new laws, fines of up to almost $24,000 will be issued to facilities that don't comply with the reporting requirements.
