NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the New York City Health Department announced a series of new measures to strengthen the City’s education, enforcement and response to Legionella bacteria in cooling towers following the Upper East Side community cluster earlier this summer.
The initiatives build on the Health Department’s rapid and aggressive response to the Upper East Side cluster, including unprecedented steps to increase transparency and accelerate the remediation of cooling towers in the affected area.
“New York City responded to this summer’s cluster of Legionnaires’ disease with urgency and an unprecedented level of action. When New Yorkers’ health is at stake, government cannot wait for the crisis to pass before asking how it can do better. Our response to the Upper East Side cluster was fast and aggressive, and we are building on what we learned to make our systems stronger, enforcement faster and public health response more transparent,” said Mayor Mamdani.
“New Yorkers deserve a government that moves with urgency to keep them safe.”
“Our first responsibility is to protect the health and safety of New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga.
“These measures build on the Mamdani administration’s unprecedented response to this summer’s cluster and strengthen the systems that protect New Yorkers from Legionella bacteria year-round. This is what public health looks like when government is coordinated, measured, and responsive.”
“New York City already has some of the most rigorous cooling tower laws and regulations in the country, but rigorous standards only matter if we are constantly working to make them stronger,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin.
“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and investment we need to respond faster and more effectively when New Yorkers’ health is at risk.”
“Education, outreach, and efficient government processes are critical to delivering the services New Yorkers deserve, and we remain committed to providing our sister agencies with the information and support they need,” said Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani.
“We are proud to continue working closely with our partners in Health as we look for ways to strengthen our efforts and better serve and protect New Yorkers.”
