New York City is strengthening its regulations for cooling towers in response to a recent Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem. The city Health Department plans to increase enforcement, penalties, and reporting requirements for building water systems that are often linked to the spread of the disease.
Three deaths and 81 cases have been reported in Harlem over the past two weeks, with 24 people hospitalized. Officials say the new rules were in development before the outbreak, which has largely subsided.
The amended regulations will go into effect next spring and include stricter penalties for non-compliance. The changes aim to “improve enforcement” and include a requirement for laboratories to be certified by the New York State Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program.
Lawyers say current fines are not sufficient to ensure compliance, particularly in buildings worth tens of millions of dollars. Inspections for Legionella bacteria plummeted in recent months before the outbreak, sparking concerns about the city’s ability to monitor and regulate cooling towers.
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by bacterial droplets from water systems like cooling towers and can take 12-14 days to develop symptoms after exposure. The new rules will build on existing regulations, which already have some of the toughest standards for cleaning towers in the country.
Source: https://nypost.com/2025/08/11/us-news/nyc-proposes-stricter-rules-to-combat-legionnaires-disease-as-harlem-outbreak-sparks-concerns