The Ardsley at 320 Central Park West tested positive for Legionella bacteria in samples collected from its domestic hot water system. Residents of the Upper West Side co-op were told not to use hot water until the building finishes disinfection and flushing on Thursday, July 16.
The building sits between West 91st and 92nd streets and has more than 200 units. Its owner retained Metrogroup to assess the domestic hot water system, and Metrogroup recommended disinfection and flushing after the testing found Legionella in the samples.
Metrogroup and The Ardsley
The Ardsley’s evaluation was done independently by the owner, not by the New York City Health Department. The building was constructed in 1931 and is a 22-story co-op, so the test reached a system that serves a large number of residents at once.
A related system-bacteria case in another setting shows how testing can lead to a technical fix before a broader exposure issue grows. Here, the repair path is narrow: disinfect, flush, and keep residents off hot water until the work is done.
New York City Health Department
There have been no reports of residents contracting Legionnaires’ disease in the building or the neighborhood. A senior official from the Health Department said residents can still drink water and take baths, and the Health Department advises them to reduce the risk of steam showers and avoid mist.
The agency says building-cluster exposure is typically tied to plumbing systems, most often the hot water system, and residents can be exposed through water mist when they shower. That is the reason a positive result in a domestic hot water system leads to immediate cleanup rather than wait-and-see monitoring.
Upper East Side outbreak
The Ardsley finding comes amid increased attention on Legionnaires’ disease in New York City and an outbreak on the Upper East Side. Why the owner chose to test the building’s domestic hot water system is not explained, but the practical effect is clear for residents: no hot-water use until the building says the disinfection and flushing are complete.
