A waterborne bacteria that can cause pneumonia was found in the tap water of a California state government building less than a month after Governor Gavin Newsom ordered state workers back to their offices.
The building is the home of the Department of Industrial Relations in Lodi, according to a news release from the SEIU Local 1000, which represents state employees. The building remains open as response crews disinfect and clean the plumbing, according to SFGate, which spoke to Department of Industrial Relations spokesperson Denisse Gomez.
The bacteria that was found is called Legionella, which occurs naturally in freshwater like lakes and rivers. It can survive in human-made plumbing fixtures like shower heads, pipes, hot water tanks, and air conditioning units, according to the California Department of Public Health.
The building is privately leased and its owners have been notified of the issue by the state.
“DIR has shared these findings with property management for the leased building and is coordinating with them as they implement the necessary corrective actions,” the spokesperson said.
The union told the New York Post that it is monitoring other buildings where past Legionella contaminations have been found to ensure they are safe for workers.
In some rare cases, Legionella can cause Legionnaires' disease, which manifests as a severe lung infection or pneumonia, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include cough, fever, head and muscle aches and shortness of breath. It can also cause confusion, diarrhea, or nausea.
Legionnaires' is not typically spread person to person, and can be treated with antibiotics.
The contaminant was discovered shortly after Newsom ordered state workers to return to their offices. His mandate went into effect on July 1.
The union said in a statement to the New York Post that if workers have to return to office, the offices must be safe for workers.
“If the State is going to force workers back into the office, it has a responsibility to make those workplaces safe,” SEIU said in a statement. “State workers deserve fair pay, affordable healthcare, telework that works and workplaces free from hazards.”
The Independent has requested comment from the governor’s office.
The state government isn't the only one to deal with the bacteria in its plumbing. The bacteria was also recently found at the Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, where it infected at least 18 people, according to SFGate.
On Tuesday, an outbreak of the bacteria was discovered in 76 buildings in New York City's Upper East Side, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, according to ABC 7.
According to city officials, 63 people were infected as of Tuesday night, and 12 people required hospitalization.
