New York OKs statewide rules to fight Legionnaires’ disease

The regulations, approved by the state Public Health and Health Planning Council at a special meeting Monday afternoon, requires that any owner of a building with a cooling tower must register the tower with the state health department in the next 30 days.

The company cleaned the cooling towers and retested them for the presence of legionella bacteria before resuming operations. “Our new emergency regulations will make sure that building owners live up to their responsibilities and provide health officials with critical information to counter the spread of Legionella bacteria”.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced new regulations adopted by the New York State Department of Health, along with the creation of a tip line to help those with questions or concerns about the disease.

Cooling towers in the Bronx are believed to have housed Legionella bacteria that led to the largest outbreak of the disease in New York City history.

The state Health Department enacted emergency regulations to combat Legionnaires’ disease Monday – requiring building owners to register and test their cooling towers within 30 days. The rules affect all building owners with a cooling tower, evaporative condenser or fluid cooler that is part of a recirculated water system incorporated into a building’s cooling, industrial process, refrigeration or energy production system.

The response to the outbreak by city officials and the state highlighted an apparent turf war between Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

New York State will begin inspecting cooling towers, and create penalties for those who don’t follow regulations.

Like the city’s rules, the statewide regulations also subject building owners to civil and criminal penalties for failing to comply. Immediate disinfection is required if culture sample testing demonstrates a need.

Hospitals and nursing homes would additionally be required to have a plan for testing drinking water for Legionella. The emergency regulations will be in effect for 90 days, but then will be adopted as permanent regulations-though they can be amended in that time.