Owners of cooling towers in New York City will probably need to start testing their cooling tower water treatment chemicals on a daily basis if the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has something to say about it. And they certainly do have something to say about it...

On November 20th, 2015, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene filed a proposed resolution to add a new Chapter 8 to Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York which would establish ongoing rules for cooling towers maintenance to prevent contamination from legionella bacteria. The presumption is that the requirements outlined in the DOHMH?s proposed Chapter 8 would be incorporated into the mandatory Maintenance Program and Plan, which is required to be in place by March 1st, 2016. A public hearing was held to discuss the terms of this resolution on January 4th, 2016 and the DOHMH?s draft resolution was open to public commentary.

At the time of this post, Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York do not yet reflect the proposed changes to Chapter 8, however, it would not be unreasonable for a cooling tower owner to incorporate these rules into their Cooling Tower Maintenance Program and Plan or Water Management Plan (WMP) immediately. Especially since, the DOHMH has told recently us that the final rules will be substantively the same as those published for comment, with only a few changes.

What should I do to protect myself from liability associated with the New York City and State Cooling Tower Laws?

Regardless of whether or not the DOHMH?s proposed Title 24 Chapter 8 to the Rules of the City of New York is adopted exactly as proposed, cooling tower owners are still required annually certify with the DOHMH that their cooling towers have been inspected, tested, cleaned and disinfected in compliance with Local Law 77. So in addition to having your Maintenance Program and Plan in place by March 1st, 2016, you may also want to contemplate adopting some of the procedures outlined in the DOHMH?s proposed Title 24 Chapter 8 to the Rules of the City of New York. Namely, the daily, weekly, quarterly and yearly testing, inspection and recording schedule.

Water treatment companies do not have the resources to add daily water quality testing to their list of available IRO water treatment services. Understanding basic cooling tower maintenance and testing is never a bad idea for building owners and daily and weekly testing and recording can be pretty easily accomplished by existing maintenance staff.

Where do I get the testing supplies that I need to perform the NYC testing requirements outlined in the DOHMH?s draft resolution?

Cooling tower water quality and microbial testing supplies can usually be purchased from an industrial water testing supply company. The challenge is in knowing exactly what to buy, how much to spend and how to use it. There are many tests and test kits out there that show the same kind of results; some are easy to use, some are more difficult. Some are low cost, some are more expensive.

With the help of our Regulatory Affairs Department, we have put together a low cost, headache free daily, weekly, quarterly and annual cooling tower testing solution that comes in one small, easy to use box!

Our 6-Month Starter Kit includes:

Professional Handheld Conductivity and Temperature Probe

pH Quick Tests for Daily Testing

Free and Total Chlorine Quick Tests for Daily Testing

Microbial Dipslides for Weekly Testing



Easy to following testing and recording instructions

Testing log book pages for your required record keeping

Instructions for ordering Quarterly Legionella Tests (additional cost)

Instructions for ordering your Annual Cooling Tower Certification (additional cost)

We even have a less expensive 6-Month REFILL Kit that includes all of the above EXCEPT the Professional Handheld Conductivity and Temperature Probe. The Conductivity and Temperature Probe should not need to be purchased again unless it becomes damaged.

GET PRICING AND RESERVE YOUR COOLING TOWER TESTING KIT TODAY!

What else should I do by March 1st, 2016 to be in compliance with the New York City and State Cooling Tower Laws?

At the very least, you should have your Cooling Tower Maintenance Program and Plan in place as per Local Law 77 of 2015. This is a comprehensive Water Management Plan (WMP) specifically written and designed for your cooling tower system. Since every building, make up water source, and cooling tower system is different, there is no boilerplate or ?off-the-shelf?? plan that you can just purchase. It must be designed for you by a ?Qualified person.?? If you need assistance in procuring your Cooling Tower Maintenance Program and Plan by March 1st, 2016, please feel free to request a quote here:

Request a Quote for a NY Cooling Tower Maintenance Program and Plan Here

Additionally, you should also make sure that your cooling tower is cleaned in accordance with Local Law 77 of 2015. At a minimum, cooling towers that are shut-down for more than five days must be cleaned and disinfected under the supervision of a 7G Licensed New York Commercial Pesticide Applicator within 15 days before their use. A list of qualified New York cooling tower cleaning service providers can be found at NYC.gov, or you may request a quote here:

Get a Free Cooling Tower Cleaning Estimate Here

Please subscribe to our blog for the latest details on the New York City and New York State Cooling Tower Laws as they develop. Thanks for reading!

ABOUT CLARITY WATER TECHNOLOGIES

Clarity Water Technologies is known throughout the east coast as an innovative industrial/commercial water treatment company and the innovators of 360 Degree Legionella Management Service. To put it simply: As New York City's Top Environmental Consultants, we make commercial HVAC and industrial process machinery last longer and run more efficiently, with less fuel and less downtime, by chemically treating the water that runs through it. Typical systems that we treat include steam boilers, chillers and cooling towers; however, we also offer advanced wastewater, glycol services, odor control and fuel treatment services. We are one of Northeast?s most trusted Legionella remediation companies and are widely accepted as one of the best consulting firms to establish best practices for the implementation of ASHRAE Standard 188 - Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.

As environmental consultants specializing in water treatment, we know that chemistry is only one part of what makes a cooling tower system operate at peak performance. The other part of the equation is proper physical cleaning, disinfection and maintenance. Today, Clarity offers one of the most reliable and effective cooling tower disinfection services available throughout NY, NJ, CT, DE, MD and PA. Clarity is a NADCA Certified HVAC Cleaning Service Company. Our team also offers on-line cleanings, chlorine dioxide disinfection, Legionella remediation and installation of the EcoSAFE Solid Feed System?one of the most advanced water treatment systems for Cooling Towers in the world! Please contact us today for a free estimate on your next project.

New York City Water Treatment Expert and Environmental Consultant, Greg Frazier has a vast knowledge of Industrial Water Treatment and is currently the Managing Partner of Clarity Water Technologies, one of the best Environmental Consulting firms in New York. Mr. Frazier has over 19 years of Industrial Water Treatment experience and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee. Clarity Water Technologies specializes in comprehensive water treatment services. Clarity's service goes far beyond administering Cooling Tower Water Treatment chemicals - it also includes Cooling Tower Maintenance and HVAC Cleaning Services.