Legionnaires outbreak linked to cooling tower.

In the last eight months, cases of Legionnaires' disease (Legionellosis) have been reported in Arizona, Rhode Island, Missouri, Virginia and Michigan. The outbreak in Detroit, which killed four people and sickened at least 26 others, has been traced to an air-conditioning cooling tower on the roof of a suburban Detroit grocery.

Health officials tested water samples from several businesses before concluding that the airborne bacteria came from warm stagnant water in a cooling tower on the roof of Cattleman's Market in Farmington. The tower was sterilized and the outbreak contained. For building owners and property managers in New York, it raises the important question, "Could it happen here?"

The NYC Department of Health reports that it is estimated that approximately 25,000 people develop legionellosis in the United States each year. An additional unknown number are infected with the Legionella bacterium and have mild symptoms which go unreported. Legionella is always present in the environment. It has been found in hot and cold water taps, hot and cold water tanks, water in air-conditioning cooling towers and evaporative condensers, as well as in creeks, ponds, and in soil at evacuation sites.

In 1995, NYC had six reported eases of the disease. Information about the number of cases for 1997 is not as yet available. The Health Department states that outbreaks occur most often in the spring and summer, but cases may occur year round.

Richard Silver, president of American Pipe and Tank Lining Co., warns that neglected or improperly maintained cooling and water systems can become bacterial breeding grounds for Legionella and other harmful microbial contaminants which threaten to endanger the health of building residents and the public at large.

"We must learn from the recent outbreaks around the nation. Property owners and managers here in New York cannot afford to ignore or underestimate the very real dangers that may be lurking up on the roof, in poorly maintained cooling towers or wood and steel water tanks. "Pro-active inspection and maintenance," says Silver, "is the only way to avert what could easily become a disaster here."

According to Silver, the most effective way for building owners, managers and engineers to prevent a dire health emergency is to enlist the services of a professional to regularly inspect and maintain the HVAC and water systems for maximum safety and efficiency. "The NYC Department of Health recommends that cooling towers should be drained when not in use, and should be mechanically cleaned periodically to remove scale and sediment," says Silver. "It is imperative that cooling towers be inspected, and valves, drift eliminators and fill cleaned before the temperatures soar and the system goes on-line."

To maximize energy conservation, Brendan McKenna of Manhattan Cooling Towers, Inc., a division of American Pipe and Tank Lining Co., recommends the replacement of inefficient fill and drift eliminators and VFD and cycling controls. Other performance upgrades include fan drive assemblies and piping bypass systems. McKenna strongly suggests that property owners take advantage of Con Edison rebates which are available for the installation of high efficiency motors and variable speed drives. "The installation of cooling tower make-up water meters," says McKenna, "can significantly reduce the costs of sewerage discharge."

Inspecting your building's cooling system now, before start-up, is only one important factor in protecting the health of the residents or commercial tenancy. Residential wood water tanks can also become bacterial time-bombs, says Silver, if they are not cleaned and disinfected in compliance with NYC Building and Health Codes. American Pipe and Tank Lining Co., founded in 1900, is the parent company of New York Wood Tank, which specializes in the installation, repair and replacement of wood water tanks, and is considered to be one of the City's three leading wood tank installation experts. New York Wood Tank has installed tanks for the New York Housing Authority, The New York Coliseum, New York University, Helmsley-Spear, Charles Greenthal, and Silverstein Properties to name only a few of their highly respected clients.

New York Wood Tank recommends a periodic inspection and maintenance program to avoid a crisis. "Deteriorating wood tanks constitute a serious threat to the health of residents," says Silver, "opening the door to major violations, costly fines and potential liabilities." He further cautions that leaks, if left unattended, will result in DEP violations, higher water bills, and deterioration of the tank. Damaged roofing paper or lumber, adds Silver, is a violation of the health code which stipulates that conical covers must be tightly sealed so as not to allow contamination. He says that building managers should also be alert to the presence of pigeons on the top of the tank.

This is a serious sign indicating that the wood has deteriorated enough to form cracks or openings which allow the birds to enter, access water, roost, and contaminate the water supply. Silver warns that pigeons are a red flag indicating neglect, and "a wake-up call to owners and managers to enlist the services of a company that takes a pro-active approach to servicing and protecting your building systems and water quality."

For owners, managers and engineers who are concerned with improving the safety of their building systems, American offers educational seminars covering important issues such as maintaining bacterial-free water and cooling systems, DEC and DEP code compliance, rebate programs and energy conservation.

As for the possibility of an outbreak of Legionellosis in New York this summer, Silver is cautiously optimistic. "You can never predict when it might happen, but we know that there are ways to minimize the risks. We are all relying on the vigilance of owners and professional property managers to enlist the services of an expert in order to maintain the healthiest possible systems. New technologies are giving us the means to offer profoundly effective solutions."

American recently completed the installation of the City's first Ultraviolet water treatment system in an office building at Worldwide Plaza. This system, referred to as the "killer elite" because it uses a deadly dose of properly adjusted UV rays to eradicate microorganisms, provides a safe, cost-effective and efficient method of purifying a building's domestic water supply of potentially lethal organic contaminants such as legionella and e-coli. American is able to provide this technologically advanced system for both residential and commercial applications, which Silver says, should make us all breathe a little easier."