Cattaraugus County Health Dept.: Cooling tower registry cuts risk of Legionnaires' disease

OLEAN — In July a Cattaraugus County resident was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, which likely resulted from a flooded basement.

The man, from the northwest corner of the county, has recovered.

Legionnaires’ disease first came to the attention of health officials in 1976 when the disease sickened 221 people and killed 34 attending an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. The cause was traced to the water system of the hotel the 2,000 Legionnaires stayed in during the convention.

Subsequent breakouts of Legionnaires’ disease prompted the New York State Department of Health to issue regulations governing the operation, maintenance and testing of cooling towers, which were targeted as a major cause of the disease.

It is caused by a bacteria called Legionella and the symptoms mimic pneumonia, according to Cattaraugus County Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins. Those symptoms can include headache, muscle aches, a fever of 104 or above, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, vomiting or diarrhea and confusion.

The disease is transmitted to humans by inhaling aerosolized water droplets containing the bacteria.

From 2018 to 2022, New York had 4,946 cases of Legionnaires’ disease. In 2020, New York reported more cases than any other state.

In order to head off future cases linked to cooling towers, the state Department of Health required owners of cooling towers to file maintenance plans and testing of water in the towers.

Cattaraugus County has 20 cooling towers listed in the registry, 12 of which are currently in operation, including four that operate year-round. Eight others are decommissioned.

The registry on Friday showed two cooling towers to be noncompliant — one at the William O. Smith Recreation Center, 551 E. State St., and another at St. Bonaventure University.

Seven of the eight cooling towers that have been decommissioned are at the former Siemens Energy campus at 500 Paul Clark Drive. All are listed as compliant.

Robert Ring, environmental health director at the Cattaraugus County Health Department, said a specialist on his staff is assigned to monitor the state registry site and follow up on any deficiencies.

Other cooling tower sites determined to be in compliance include: one each at Olean General Hospital at 515 Main St., Olean and Mildred Milliman Outpatient Surgery Center, 500 Main St.; Allegany State Park, Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, Pines Nursing Home in Machias and Delevan Elementary School in Delevan; and two at SolEpoxy on Franklin Street, Olean, and at Pioneer High School in Yorkshire.

Besides cooling towers, hot tubs, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems and decorative fountains that are not maintained have been found to be sources of Legionnaires’ disease.

The bacteria grows in water temperatures between 68 and 112 degrees. It does not seem to grow in car or window air conditioners, experts say.

Data from the cooling tower registry can be accessed online on the state’s website.

Ring said the noncompliant cooling tower at St. Bonaventure University was listed despite the system being upgraded. The university needs to submit paperwork to have it decommissioned.

In the case of the city’s Rec Center, the cooling tower is not currently in use because the ice-making system is not operating at this time, Ring said.

“It’s seasonal,” he explained. “They haven’t opened the ice rink yet.”

Ring added, “Most people are pretty diligent over it,” regarding maintenance and updated reports. “We know the operators are good. Sometimes they get behind in their paperwork.”

That’s why the county health department keeps an eye on the registry, Ring said. “The system is in place,” he added. “As long is its being monitored, the risk is pretty low.”

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