Schiff outlines cooling tower oversight and Legionella response
Schiff describes DOHMH's cooling tower program: issuing regulations, conducting outreach and training, inspecting systems, and issuing summonses for noncompliance. She says the department also responds to Legionnaires' disease clusters by testing towers and requiring cleaning and disinfection.
Finally, as discussed at a hearing last month, the department promotes compliance with the city's nation-leading requirements dictating the operation of cooling towers.
We issue detailed regulations to implement the local law protections, conduct outreach, education, and training, and inspect cooling tower systems to monitor compliance, issuing summonses subject to civil penalties when owners fail to comply.
We also respond to community clusters of Legionnaire's disease, rapidly testing cooling towers and requiring owners to fully clean and disinfect to cut off the Legionella bacteria likely to be causing the cluster.