New York City to increase cooling tower inspections after legionnaires’ outbreaks
State and city lawmakers push to boost regulations after two outbreaks of the disease over the last two summers
TL;DR
- New York City will increase cooling tower inspections and regulations following two Legionnaires' disease outbreaks in recent summers.
- Legionnaires' disease is a serious pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria, often found in poorly maintained cooling towers of large buildings.
- Experts emphasize that deaths from Legionnaires' are preventable with routine maintenance and regular government inspections.
- The climate crisis, leading to increased air conditioning use, is expected to exacerbate the risk of Legionnaires' outbreaks.
- New York City has allocated additional funding for inspections and hired staff, while also implementing stricter testing requirements for building owners.
- New legislation increases penalties for violations that result in serious illness or death, and requires more frequent cleaning of cooling towers.
- Despite budget constraints, public health experts view increased spending on Legionella prevention as a wise investment.