Pneumonia-causing bacteria detected in tap water at California state office

Less than a month into California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office mandate for state workers, several California state office buildings are grappling with a serious health and safety issue, with the latest being in the Central Valley. Legionella, a waterborne bacteria that can cause pneumonia, was found in a tap water line that also feeds an ice machine at the Department of Industrial Relations building in Lodi last month, according to a news release from SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents the state employees. 

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Crews are disinfecting and flushing the plumbing fixtures and adjusting water temperatures, but the building remains open, Denisse Gomez, a spokesperson for the Department of Industrial Relations, told SFGATE. The office building is privately leased, and state officials notified the property’s management, she said. 

Legionella is a type of bacteria that naturally occurs in freshwater areas, such as lakes and rivers, but it can also be found in human-made infrastructure such as shower heads, plumbing systems, hot water tanks and air conditioning units, according to the California Department of Public Health. In rare cases, the bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, which is a severe lung infection or pneumonia. 

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco, told SFGATE that the disease is not transmitted from person-to-person and, although many people can get exposed to the bacteria, not everyone gets sick. People who are at a higher risk of getting sick are people with chronic lung disease, immunocompromised individuals, elderly individuals and smokers, Chin-Hong said. 

Symptoms are similar to those of the common cold but may also include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, he said. The presence of both respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms is one sign that the illness could be linked to Legionella exposure rather than a common virus, he added.

“If somebody has been in that building but just has a cold, I wouldn’t worry about it,” Chin-Hong said. 

The bacteria was also recently discovered at the Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, and it infected at least 18 people. Chin-Hong also pointed to a Legionella bacteria outbreak in New York City that has infected at least 60 people and sent 15 people to the hospital, according to WABC-TV.

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Chin-Hong said the bacteria is often found in buildings with old plumbing, especially those with “stagnant water.” 

The Lodi building is the latest state facility to report Legionella bacteria since employees returned to the office over the last few weeks, according to the union. Legionella bacteria was also reported in the tap water at the Department of Public Health building and the Department of Health Care Services building at the East End Complex in Sacramento, as well as at the Public Employees’ Retirement System building in Sacramento. 

Though the water tested positive for Legionella, the bacteria levels are considered “acceptable” by state and federal health and safety regulators, according to the union. The union said it filed a formal complaint with the California’s Public Employment Relations Board detailing concerns about the hazardous conditions, the return-to-office mandate and employee pay and benefits. 

Gov. Newsom’s office did not respond to SFGATE’s request for comment before the time of publication.