New York lawmakers are working to enhance protection for residents against Legionnaires' disease by increasing regulations and inspections of cooling towers. This follows two outbreaks of the infection in the last two summers and a number of new lawsuits.
Legionnaires' disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria, which can thrive in the water of large air-conditioning systems if not properly maintained. The bacteria can then be circulated through the air.
In August 2025, an outbreak in New York's Harlem neighbourhood resulted in seven deaths and over 100 illnesses. This summer, the Upper East Side saw 92 cases, 79 hospitalisations, and seven deaths. City health department staff collected samples from more than 180 cooling towers, with 59 testing positive for the bacterium, including sites like the Guggenheim Museum and apartment buildings.
Victims of the 2025 Harlem outbreak and their families have filed four lawsuits against the city, NYC Health + Hospitals, and contractors responsible for cooling tower maintenance. The city announced in May that it would allocate an additional $13m in fiscal year 2027 for cooling tower inspections, including funding for 23 water ecologists. It will also require building owners to test for the bacterium every 31 days when cooling towers are operating, which the city states is the strictest requirement in the country.
Following the latest outbreak, New York's Governor, Kathy Hochul, approved legislation requiring biannual cooling tower certifications and increasing penalties for violations resulting in serious illness or death from $10,000 to $12,500. A city council member also introduced legislation to mandate building owners clean their cooling towers at least three times annually, up from two.