Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Exposes New York's Cooling Tower Conundrum The recent surge in Legionnaires' disease cases across New York has left residents on edge, particularly given its association with iconic museums.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim have joined 76 other Upper East Side buildings ordered to clean their cooling towers, which can harbor the Legionella bacteria responsible for the illness.
Both institutions have assured the public that cleaning and testing protocols are underway, but this episode is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in New York City's cooling tower management system.