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NYC investigating Harlem building for Legionella after 2 Legionnaires’ cases
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jan 14, 2026
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By
Catalina Gonella
Published Jan 14, 2026
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Two Harlem buildings are being evaluated for Legionella in their plumbing system after a second resident tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease in under a year, according to officials.
According to the city’s health department, there’s no reason to believe the cases reported at 3333 Broadway’s “Tower B” are linked to the Central Harlem Legionnaires’ outbreak that sickened more than 100 people and killed at least six last year. The buildings’ management also said so far, there’s no indication whether the residents contracted the disease at the complex.
Legionnaires’ disease does not spread from person to person, but can be contracted by breathing in water vapor containing Legionella bacteria from water systems. Many of the cases in last year’s Harlem outbreak were linked to cooling towers, which spread water vapor over larger areas. This investigation, by contrast, focuses on a pair of buildings with shared plumbing.
Heaven Berhane, a resident of the building where the cases were reported, said the health department notice on Jan. 2 was upsetting to receive months after the Harlem outbreak.
She added that the timing of the alert — on a Friday afternoon — along with the time of a scheduled informational meeting — 2 p.m. the following Monday — was also cause for concern.
“I think initially it's a sense of fear, like, ‘Wait, what is happening?’ I thought Legionnaires’ was over. Like I didn't even think this was still an issue in the Harlem community,” she said. “It honestly created and amplified what is already a level of distrust that most Black and brown folks have when it comes to our health care systems, and also with management.”
Berhane said a representative from the city health department suggested residents take measures to avoid potential exposure, like avoiding hot showers and taking cold baths instead, until results come back, with no clear timeline.
“It’s been very uncomfortable,” Berhane said. “I’ve had to turn on the hot water on occasions because the cold water is uncomfortable.”
Health officials told Gothamist water sampling remains underway and it could take weeks to get confirmed results.
An initial meeting with the health department and management company Urban American was poorly attended, Berhane said. So she and other residents asked for a second meeting, held Tuesday night, to allow others to attend.
That meeting included local elected officials and the Harlem Legionnaires Task Force, a group of area residents that formed after last year’s Central Harlem outbreak.
Under the city’s protocols, when two or more residents of the same building test positive for Legionnaires’ disease within 12 months, the city orders the building owner to hire experts to evaluate how hospitable the water system is to Legionella, perform tests for the bacteria and take measures to keep it under control, such as a chemical shock using elevated levels of disinfectant.
“When we are conducting a building evaluation like this one, there is no risk to the surrounding community,” health department spokesperson Chantal Gomez said.
Several 3333 Broadway residents said they were demanding that the management company take swift action to test the water and treat it if needed. They’re also asking for shower hoses to reduce the aerosols produced when bathing — an action that would be required if a bill currently in the City Council passes.
Kari Hegarty, a spokesperson for Urban American, said the company is “working in lockstep” with the health department.
“We don’t know how or where these tenants contracted the disease. While there is no indication the cases originated from our building, the department requires testing of both Tower A and B water systems because they share a hot water distribution system,” she said. “The safety of our tenants is our number one priority.”
Between 200 and 700 cases of Legionnaires’ disease are reported in New York City every year, according to city data. Most don’t garner attention because investigators don't establish links between cases and never identify the source, according to the health department.
Officials said the bacteria are common in water systems, but the risk of illness is low for healthy people.
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Catalina Gonella
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