Bacteria found again in water at CalPERS’ Sacramento headquarters

Legionella bacteria showed up again in December in the water at CalPERS’ Sacramento headquarters, according to test results.

High levels of bacteria in a cafe sink and lower levels from other sources show the bacteria persists in water where it was identified at high levels a year and a half ago.

The bacteria can cause infection when it is inhaled in vapor or reaches the lungs by accident while drinking. It is often harmless, but can sometimes cause a deadly form of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease.

CalPERS still hasn’t received reports that anyone got sick from the bacteria, spokesman Wayne Davis said. Most CalPERS employees have been working from home since shortly after the coronavirus pandemic arrived in March.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System notified employees last month that the bacteria had been identified at high levels in a shower in a men’s locker room during routine testing in August 2019.

Colliers International, the firm that manages the Q street buildings for CalPERS, has been testing the water every six months, but did not notify the retirement system after tests in 2019 showed an extremely high level of legionella in the shower.

After a whistleblower from Colliers warned CalPERS about the findings last summer and SEIU Local 1000 requested test results in December, the retirement system notified employees of the 2019 findings last month. The bacteria was also identified in water throughout the buildings during testing in summer 2020, according to test results.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no known safe level of the bacteria, but guidelines from most U.S. authorities define a “low” level of bacteria that is an acceptable risk.

The bacteria is measured in “colony forming units” per milliliter. Levels under one CFU are generally considered a low, acceptable risk for potable water. One to nine is moderately low, 10-99 is moderately high and 100 or more is high.

A subcontractor with Netherlands-based company Arcadis identified legionella at 1,370 CFU in the cafe sink in December, according to the results.

Colliers cleaned and flushed four cafe sinks and three showers and resampled them on Jan. 7. The cafe sinks returned legionella levels of .05 CFU and 6.55 CFU on that date, according to a report on the results.

Results from other water sources ranged from negligible to a measurement of 16 CFU in a shower.

CalPERS hired Rocklin-based ENTEK Consulting Group to review its procedures and recommend changes.

Arcadis recommended increasing the temperature at which hot water is stored, which CalPERS is doing, Davis said. The contractor also recommended more frequent flushing of pipes and the use of bacteria filters.

Davis said CalPERS has installed a new filter under a daycare sink where the bacteria has shown up in tests and is considering putting them on showers. The retirement system has increased testing from twice to four times per year, he said.

Most building owners outside the health care, long-term care and hotel industries don’t test for legionella. CalPERS does the tests as part of an environmental certification process for its buildings.

This story was originally published February 18, 2021 at 10:26 AM.