Oakland County will begin testing plumbing and water fountains in nine Children’s Village buildings for Legionella bacteria starting Tuesday, Feb. 28.

It’s the latest tests for buildings on the county campus at 1200 N. Telegraph Road in Pontiac as part of a long-term response to the discovery of the bacteria at the sheriff’s administration and circuit court buildings.

One custodian developed a type of pneumonia called Legionnaire’s disease after working in the sheriff’s administration building.

Legionella is a bacteria found in nature and in plumbing systems when water is warm and still. People who drink water or inhale mist from water with legionella bacteria can develop upper respiratory infections, such as Legionnaire’s disease. These illnesses are not contagious, but can be deadly for some people.

Subsequent tests there, at the court building and other county buildings found some traces of legionella. The county treats legionella by flushing the plumbing systems, monitoring water temperatures and installing specialized filters on faucets that block the bacteria. Recent test results show six buildings are legionella-free:

•  North Office Building

•  Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center

•  North Oakland Health Center

•  Resource and Crisis Center

•  Circuit Court Tower

•  Circuit Court Complex west-wing extension, which includes the Prosecutor’s Office, the Court Administrator’s Office, Corporation Counsel, the Indigent Defense Office and the Elections Division

Follow-up testing at the sheriff’s administration building showed a low level in one faucet, down from low level results in two faucets.

Oakland County has so far spent an estimated $648,000 for legionella remediation and preventive measures. Most of the money, nearly $563,000, paid for 2,244 faucet filters with another $61,000 spent on routine and investigative water-sample tests, and over $23,000 on faucet adapters and masks.

The county has installed more than 497 faucet filters, in the sheriff’s administration building, the Circuit Court tower, the North Oakland Health Center and the Resource and Crisis Center. The county plans to return any unused filters to the supply company. Tests are expected to continue through May, unless more legionella is found.