The Allegheny County Jail is testing its water system to see if legionella was present in two of its officer bathrooms.
Two weeks ago, the jail discovered compounds that could be byproducts of legionella during routine testing of two officer bathrooms, according to Connie Clark, deputy warden for programs and services in the Allegheny County Bureau of Corrections.
Working with the health department, the jail began additional testing to confirm whether legionella is in the fixtures.
Clark said Wednesday that the testing is done, and the jail is in a 10-day waiting period to confirm the results.
As of Wednesday, no one had reported any symptoms of legionella, and there was no evidence that anyone had become ill, according to Clark.
Sunday, a jail spokesperson told Channel 11 that there were no updates on the test results, and still no illnesses have been reported since Wednesday.
Legionella is a bacterium that can grow in water pipes. If a person inhales droplets, they can contract Legionnaires’ disease, a severe type of lung infection.
The fixtures where the compounds were found have been closed, Clark says. Additionally, the jail has begun proactive remediation efforts, pending the test results, and more comprehensive water system testing.
“We are determined to act quickly and to ensure we are doing everything in our power to maintain high water quality standards in the facility, and we are being guided by Health Department experts and outside vendors to ensure we are taking all the right steps,” Clark said.
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