Trace of Legionella Bacteria Found on Weber Middle School's Chiller

Image via Google Maps

Parents of Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School students have been notified that a trace of Legionella bacteria was recently discovered on the building’s chiller that provides air conditioning to the school.

The amount of bacteria is reportedly “extremely low” and Principal Christopher Shields assured parents that this discovery poses no health threats to students.

As a precaution, the Port Washington Union Free School District conducted a strong cleaning of the chiller unit on Sunday.

The chiller at Weber is a closed-loop system, which means that no moisture escapes the unity. The students do not use this water at the school.

Students and staff safely returned to school on Monday.

The District noted that Paul D. Schreiber High School will not go through a similar situation since the high school has an air cooling system, not a chiller, and there is no potential for Legionella bacteria to grow in this system.

Read a statement from the Superintendent of Schools Kathleen A. Mooney on the District’s website:

Recently, the State Department of Health mandated inspections of all chilling units in state buildings. As a result of an inspection of Weber Middle School’s building chiller that provides air conditioning to the school, a trace amount of Legionella bacteria was discovered. As has widely been reported in local and regional media over the past week, similar instances have occurred in other school districts across Long Island. While the amount of bacteria found in Weber’s chiller was extremely low, the district is taking proactive measures and conducted a strong cleaning and disinfection of the chiller unit today, Sunday, Oct. 4. Please be assured that the cleaning measures that are currently being performed go above and beyond the procedures that are required for the low level of bacteria that was found.

The chiller at the middle school is a closed-loop system, meaning that no moisture escapes the unit and that the water used by students and staff at the school is not associated with the system. Therefore, this situation should not pose any health threat to the students or staff of the building. Please be assured that we have taken an overabundance of caution and that the school is safe for students and staff to return to tomorrow.

Please also be advised that Paul D. Schreiber High School will not be affected by a similar situation, as the high school has an air cooling system, not a chiller. Therefore, there is no potential for Legionella bacteria to grow. Please know that the health and safety of our students and staff is the district’s top priority and we will continue to monitor the system in the future.