Illustration by Cody Angell

Chances are there are no additional risks of living at the future Highland Commons residence halls.

Facilities management, risk managers and campus and facilities planning do not seem to be too worried.

But what if?

What if there is a potential health risk for residents and their guests of the Highland Commons dorm on the corner of North Highland Avenue and East Fourth Street?

Although the complex will not be completed for another year, it should be noted that living so close the university's cooling towers might pose an increased risk of contracting Legionnaires' disease.

Jessica Lee

Legionnaires' disease was first diagnosed in 1976 at an American Legion conference in a Philadelphia hotel after 221 individuals became mysteriously ill with pneumonia-like ailments. The culprit that eventually killed 34 people was a bacteria, given the name legionella. The bacteria had been growing in the hotel's cooling towers. Pumped from those cooling towers was the hotel's cool air supply, contaminating the indoor atmosphere with legionella.

Buildings at the UA and University Medical Center are air-conditioned by similar cooling towers.

The 1985 Legionella Criteria Document authored by the Environmental Protection Agency reported that legionella is most commonly "transmitted from aerosols in the environment from heat-rejection equipment (cooling towers, evaporative condensers, steam turbine cleaning), components of plumbing systems (showers, faucets, hot water tanks), humidifiers, public fountains and whirlpool spas."

It was not too long ago that legionella plagued the UMC, leaving two transplant patients dead. The UMC outbreak in 1996 resulted from bacteria in the hospital's plumbing system. Associate Director of Risk Management and Safety Herb Wagner explained that when additions to UMC required a new plumbing system, certain pipes taken out of commission held water that became stagnant. Legionella grew in the pipes, and were slowly sucked into the main plumbing system and aerosolized from the potable water. Those who contracted Legionnaires' disease by inhalation had a weakened immune system, due to recent surgery.

Scientists believe that most people worldwide are regularly exposed to legionella, and those with strong immune systems have no problem getting rid of the bacteria. However, people with compromised immune systems are at a greater risk of becoming ill from the bug. The EPA list of susceptible subpopulations include men over the age of 50, heavy smokers, heavy drinkers and diabetics.

What about students with weak immune systems due to other health problems?

Within the Highland Commons complex, the dorm will be the closest in proximity to the cooling towers. When the dorm is complete, the western wall of the dorm will be about 50 feet from the nearest cooling tower.

The EPA warns a person could be exposed to legionella within 200 meters (656 feet) of a cooling tower by inhaling the mist that is airborne and blown to adjacent areas.

UA Director of Campus and Facilities Planning David Duffy said no formal risk assessment was completed before the dorm's construction because in his view, the threat of legionella was not a factor.

UA Director of Risk Management Steve Holland is not worried. He does not feel there are any unusual concerns due to the new dorm's proximity to the cooling towers. Holland noted, "Illness will only happen from poorly managed cooling towers. It is a risk that has to be managed for those who have compromised immune systems."

Dr. Charles Gerba, UA professor of microbiology and immunology, agrees that the risk of Legionnaires' disease is low if the towers are properly managed. Gerba noted that the dorms are filled with a healthy and resistant population of students, people who are not usually susceptible to legionella. "Just don't have your grandparents visit," he added.

According to Larry Woods of Water and Energy Systems Technology ÷ the firm that provides the water sampling and testing equipment and offers consultation ÷ in the past three years, the cooling towers have not tested positive for legionella.

While most of us are not at risk of contracting Legionnaires' disease from breathing mist from the cooling towers, what if students with weak immune systems move into the dorms?

"I've never heard that question before," said Pamela Obando when asked whether there are better dorms for immuno-compromised students. Obando, associate director of Residence Life, did not know if there were better dorms for susceptible students besides some dorms that do not have carpet. Besides asthmatics and students with severe allergies, she is not aware of any students coming to the UA who have immune deficiencies.

Highland Commons will have outdoor courtyards and an air circulation system similar to other dorms in existence. If, in scientific literature, UA scientists and UA risk managers admit the risk of Legionnaires' disease for immune compromised people, why isn't Residence Life taking a more proactive approach to protecting students?

It is because these kinds of environmental risks are not in the back of everyone's mind. As the campus becomes denser every year, risk management will become trickier.

Facilities Management should be commended for keeping the cooling towers legionella-free thus far. But, the close proximity of the dorm to the towers requires the risk managers to establish a close relationship with Residence Life to come up with a system to protect students with weakened immune systems. Residence Life must communicate the potential risks of living in those dorms near the cooling towers.

If the threat of legionella will keep grandparents and students with immune deficiencies away from these dorms, one must ponder if building resident halls so close the cooling towers is a practical solution to the housing crunch.