Legionella Testing & Cooling Towers

Hostos Administration takes Legionnaires' disease and maintainance of our cooling towers very seriously. We are in compliance with all City and State regulations. Our Maintenance Program and Plans (MPPs) for both towers were developed by Ambient Water Treatment Consulting. Additionally, we are using a new water treatment and disinfection company, Nalco.
 
Last fall, when the cooling season concluded, the towers were inspected, cleaned, and disinfected before being shut down for the season.
 
On April 27, 2016, our cooling towers were inspected, cleaned and disinfected. Legionella testing was performed on May 2, 2016, and the results were negative. As a result, both cooling towers are back online for the summer. 
 
In addition to these steps, our engineering staff performs various required testing and inspections to remain in compliance with City and State regulations on a weekly basis. Additionally, Legionella testing will be performed every 90 days while the cooling towers are in service.

Current Testing Results:
May 2016: HCC-Legionella-Testing-May-2016.pdf


Previous Testing Results:


Note: According to OSHA sampling guidelines, action is recommended for findings of at least 100 CFU/mL. The Association of Water Technologies (AWT) guidelines call for increasing biocide additions for our finding of 10 CFU/mL. Neither organization suggests that cleaning is necessary for a finding of less than 100 CFU/mL.

 


 

Legionnaires Disease: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Legionnaires disease?
Legionnaires disease (or Legionellosis) is a type of pneumonia. It is caused by a type of bacteria (Legionella) that grows in warm water.
 
Is the disease contagious?
No. Legionnaires disease is not spread from person to person. People only get sick by breathing in water vapor containing the bacteria (for example, by inhaling contaminated mist from faucets, showers, whirlpools or cooling towers). People who are sick cannot make others sick.
 
Who is at risk?
Groups at high risk include people who are middle-aged or older—especially cigarette smokers—people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems and people who take medicines that weaken their immune systems (immunosuppressive drugs).
 
What are the symptoms of Legionnaires' Disease?
Symptoms resemble other types of pneumonia and can include fever, chills, muscle aches and cough. Some people may also have headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion or diarrhea.
 
What should I do if I think I have Legionnaires' disease?
If you have symptoms such as fever, chills and cough, call a doctor and get checked for pneumonia. If you have a medical condition that affects your breathing, like emphysema, or if you are a smoker, ask your doctor about testing for Legionnaires disease.
 
What is the treatment for Legionnaires' disease?
The disease is treated with antibiotics. Most people get better with early treatment, although they may need to be hospitalized. In rare cases, people may get very sick or even die from complications of the disease.

Legionnaires’ Disease Frequently Asked Questions - English (.pdf)
Preguntas frecuentes sobre la enfermedad del legionario - Español/Spanish  (.pdf)