By Katelyn Cordero and Maya Kaufman
Building owners in New York City must now test cooling towers for Legionella bacteria every 31 days while they are operating — three times more often than previously required — under new regulations that went into effect Friday. The changes were prompted by an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease last summer in Harlem.
“The new cooling tower regulations taking effect today implement the legislation I was proud to champion last year following the Legionnaires’ flare-up in Central Harlem and establish a more rigorous testing schedule for Legionella bacteria citywide,” City Council member Lynn Schulman said in a statement Friday. “More frequent testing will help buildings identify potential problems earlier and strengthen safeguards for tenants, workers, and surrounding communities.”
The New York City Health Department is slated to receive an extra $13 million in the upcoming fiscal year to hire more water ecologists to inspect cooling towers and establish a team of community health workers to respond to Legionnaires’ disease clusters, city officials said.