Less than a month into California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s return-to-office mandate for state workers, several California state office buildings are grappling with a serious health and safety issue, with the latest being in the Central Valley. Legionella, a waterborne bacteria that can cause pneumonia, was found in a tap water line that also feeds an ice machine at the Department of Industrial Relations building in Lodi last month, according to a news release from SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents the state employees.
Crews are disinfecting and flushing the plumbing fixtures and adjusting water temperatures, but the building remains open, Denisse Gomez, a spokesperson for the Department of Industrial Relations, told SFGATE. The office building is privately leased, and state officials notified the property’s management, she said.
Legionella is a type of bacteria that naturally occurs in freshwater areas, such as lakes and rivers, but it can also be found in human-made infrastructure such as shower heads, plumbing systems, hot water tanks and air conditioning units, according to the California Department of Public Health. In rare cases, the bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, which is a severe lung infection or pneumonia…