Council Bill Would Require Legionella Reports at 10 CFU/mL

Key facts

Proposed reporting threshold

10 CFU/mL, down from 1,000 CFU/mL

Reporting deadline

Within 24 hours of learning of the results

Hearing

City Council health committee, set for October 19, 2026

Main sponsor

Councilmember Lynn Schulman, chair of the health committee

Agency notified

NYC health department

Current rule at 10 CFU/mL

Begin disinfection within 24 hours and retest within three to seven days

Current rule at 1,000 CFU/mL

Notify the health department and fully clean and disinfect the tower within 48 hours, among other measures

Testing frequency

Every 31 days since May, up from every three months

What it means

The highlights

1. Owners now must notify the health department only at 1,000 CFU/mL.
2. The bill would require notice within 24 hours of learning the test results.
3. Since May, cooling towers must be tested every 31 days, not every three months.

Why it matters Landlords

Owners with cooling towers could face a new 24-hour reporting duty at much lower bacteria levels.

What to do: Review your cooling tower testing and reporting steps with your water treatment vendor.

Not known yet

• Whether the bill will pass and when it would take effect
• What penalties owners would face for late or missed reports
• Whether reported results would be made public or shared with residents
• Whether owners would face added costs to comply

Background

New York City requires building owners with cooling towers to register them with the city and follow testing, maintenance and disinfection rules enforced by the health department. Cooling towers are common on larger residential and commercial buildings. Proposed changes to city law go through City Council committee hearings before any vote by the full Council.