COMPLIANCE deFINEd: Cooling Tower Maintenance

What is it & what are your requirements?

As a result of a Legionnaires’ outbreak in 2015, all buildings with cooling towers, which includes evaporative condensers or fluid coolers that are part of a recirculated water system, such as the building’s cooling, refrigeration or energy production systems and/or any industrial process that requires water must comply with the Local Law 77 of 2015.

Owners of these buildings must:

Register any new or existing equipment

Develop and implement a maintenance program

Get annual certification & conduct quarterly inspections of equipment in use

Disinfect any equipment with any levels of microbes that can pose health risks

Keep records of all inspections and tests for 3 years

NOTE: Owners must also clean, disinfect and inspect equipment after extended shut-down such as for seasonal usage. For this work as well as developing a maintenance program, an environmental consultant must be used.

What are your requirements if you permanently shutdown equipment?

Owners must notify the DOB within 30 days of removing/permanently shutting down equipment stating that the equipment was cleaned and sanitized in compliance with DOH requirements.

How can the Jaffa team help me avoid this violation?

If a violation is issued for any of the above requirements, Jaffa can help you resolve the fines.

Contact us today for more details.

PENALTIES

Who?

DOB

How much?

FAILURE TO:
Register, certify or inspect: $10,000 max
Disinfect: $25,000 max
Produce cooling tower maintenance plan: $1000 min./occurrence

Deadline:

Registration of equipment must occur before initial operation. Disinfection is required 48
hours from testing. When severe health risks are present – 24 hours from testing.