NYC Cooling Tower Inspections Plummet Amid Deadly Legionnaires’ Outbreak

City Faces Scrutiny as Staffing Shortages Hit Enforcement

New York City’s oversight of cooling towers has reached a post-pandemic low, occurring just before a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in East Harlem claimed three lives. Data reveals a significant drop in inspections and violations issued by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Enforcement Decline Sparks Alarm

A Gothamist analysis of public health data shows a drastic reduction in cooling tower inspections. The agency, responsible for ensuring compliance with Legionella prevention measures, is on track to complete less than half the number of inspections conducted in 2017.

In 2017, the agency inspected 5,200 cooling towers and levied over 48,000 violations. This year, however, only 1,167 inspections were completed by June, a figure that excludes pandemic-disrupted years. Violation numbers are also at an all-time low, with just 269 issued as of April.

Data indicates a year-over-year decline in enforcement. Following a rebound in 2022 with 4,400 inspections, the agency has reduced its inspection rate by 22% to 30% annually.

Staffing Shortages Blamed for Lapses

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, **Chantal Gomez**, attributed the inspection decline to staffing shortages. She declined to specify the severity of the shortage.

Legionnaires’ disease, caused by inhaling water vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria, leads to flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, and respiratory difficulties. The current East Harlem outbreak has so far infected 73 people, resulting in three fatalities.

“From my perspective, there is of course always more that we can do to advance our prevention efforts, and this is why investing in public health is so important.”

—Michelle Morse, Acting Health Commissioner

City experts emphasize that cooling tower inspections are crucial for preventing outbreaks of the dangerous illness. However, existing city laws, enacted after a 2015 outbreak that sickened 138 and killed 16, mandate building owners to test for Legionella every three months but do not specify the frequency of city-led inspections.

Cooling Towers: A Hidden Health Risk

Cooling towers circulate water through air conditioning systems, and without proper maintenance, the warm water can become a breeding ground for Legionella. A review of city data reveals that approximately 1,900 of the 4,928 registered towers have not been inspected by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene since 2023, with 85 having no record of city inspection at all.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States experiences an estimated 10,000 to 18,000 Legionnaires’ disease cases annually, with many cases likely going undiagnosed (CDC, 2023).