State employees in the Capitol Complex are being warned of the possible presence of the bacteria that causes Legionnaires Disease in the buildings’ hot water system.
A memo from the governor’s and secretary of state’s office says preliminary testing indicates the presence of the Legionella bacteria. More testing will be done, but won’t be completed for 14 days. So far, there have been no reported illnesses among people working at the Capitol Complex.
The memo says the bacteria cannot be contracted by drinking the water and is unlikely to be transmitted through normal day-to-day operations. But officials are discouraging use of the few showers in the Capitol Complex and are removing aerators in the complex as needed.