Results from water tests at the county jail and Little Oaks Child Development Center show no signs of a bacteria that can cause a pneumonia-like illness.
But two fixtures at the sheriff’s administration building continue to show low levels of legionella. Tests at the sheriff’s offices started in November, after a custodian contracted Legionnaire’s disease while working there. Initial tests in that building found about half the fixtures had evidence of the bacteria. County officials have not disclosed the custodians current health, citing federal privacy rules.
The county has spent more than $600,000 since the bacteria was found to correct areas where it has been found or prevent future issues. In addition to flushing and sanitizing plumbing systems the county paid $563,000 for 2,244 0.2-micron filters. More than 600 filters were provided to sites where legionella has been detected: the sheriff’s office, Circuit Court tower, North Oakland Health Center and the resource and crisis center. Any unused filters will be returned, according to a county spokesman. Three filters that were installed failed and had to be replaced.
Legionella is a naturally occurring bacteria in the ground and indoor plumbing and other systems that use water such as air-conditioners, humidifiers, fountains or hot tubs that can cause Legionnaire’s disease, a type of pneumonia, or milder upper-respiratory infection called Pontiac fever. Pontiac fever is so named because it was identified in 1968 by city health officials in Pontiac.
The county has also repeated tests of some fixtures in the county’s Circuit courthouse at 1200 N. Telegraph, which also has offices for administrators, prosecuting attorney, treasurer, county clerk and register of deeds and others, as well as a cafeteria.
A man diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease in April who later died listed the courthouse as one of the places he’d visited.
The most-recent follow-up tests of courthouse fixtures found no signs of legionella.
County Executive Dave Coulter called the latest results highly encouraging, adding that they “confirm that our proactive remediation and expanded testing efforts are working to keep our campus safe for employees and the public.
The county also spent $31,425 for investigative and routine testing and just over $10,000 on faucets, adapters and masks.
The Jan. 27 tests included:
• 23 samples from the Courthouse Tower
• 12 samples from the sheriff’s administration building
• 12 samples from the jail
• 5 samples from Little Oaks
Tests scheduled for Feb. 5 include the:
• County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center
• North Office Building
• West Wing Extension of the Oakland County Circuit Court complex, (offices for prosecutors; court administrator; corporation counsel, indigent defense and elections division.
Results are expected in about two weeks.
Sites where legionella has been detected will continue to be retested through at least May. The county has not yet completed a routine water management plan that meets state and federal water-safety standards.