Cooling Tower-Linked Legionnaires’ Outbreak Hits NYC’s Upper East Side

NYC officials say a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on the Upper East Side is linked to water mist from a cooling tower, not the city’s drinking-water system; about 23 people are sick across ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075. The city has 179 cooling towers in the affected area and inspectors are evaluating them under a May law that requires monthly testing and DOHMH sample logging, with fines for noncompliance. While the source isn’t confirmed, officials say the outbreak was preventable, and the number of cooling-tower inspectors has risen from 33 to 56.