NYC Council Considers Stricter Legionella Reporting After Deadly Summer Outbreaks

The New York City Council's health committee convened a hearing on October 19, 2026 to consider legislation that would lower the Legionella reporting threshold from 1,000 colony-forming units per millilitre (CFU/mL) to 10 CFU/mL in building cooling towers. Under existing law, owners must begin disinfection at 10 CFU/mL but only notify the city health department when bacteria reach 1,000 CFU/mL. The proposed bill would require notification within 24 hours of hitting the lower threshold, giving officials more time to warn the public before an outbreak spreads. Council Member Lynn Schulman, who chairs the health committee, said the legislation aims to reduce the opportunity for outbreaks like those that struck the Upper East Side and the Bronx during the summer of 2026. The bill does not alter existing disinfection protocols. A companion measure requiring more frequent cooling tower testing — every 31 days instead of quarterly — took effect in May 2026. The Legionnaires' disease outbreaks of the 2025 and 2026 summers prompted the proposed reforms.