Harlem Residents Living in Legionella Limbo as Showers Become a Luxury
The residents of 3333 Broadway towers A and B in Harlem are facing an unprecedented crisis, with many opting to abandon showers altogether due to concerns about Legionnaires' disease, a potentially deadly form of pneumonia caused by the waterborne bacterium Legionella. For over a month now, the apartment building has been on high alert after two cases of the disease were confirmed within its walls, prompting city health officials to issue guidelines for residents to minimize their risk.
According to health department recommendations, baths are deemed safer than showers, with buckets of water or hoses being viable alternatives if necessary. However, this advice has left many residents feeling anxious and uncertain about the safety of their water supply. The building management has been criticized for its slow response to the crisis, leaving residents feeling frustrated and seeking compensation.
The Legionella outbreak at 3333 Broadway is a stark reminder of the ongoing risk posed by contaminated water sources in New York City buildings. Last year's Harlem Legionnaires' outbreak, which killed seven people and left over 100 infected, highlighted the dangers of cooling towers and their potential to spread Legionella bacteria throughout entire building systems.
Despite assurances from health officials that the risk of infection is low and that the outbreak at 3333 Broadway is not connected to the larger Harlem Legionnaires' incident, residents remain on edge. Many have expressed concerns about the safety of their own water supply, with some towers not sharing the same system as 3333 Broadway.
The ongoing uncertainty has taken a toll on residents, particularly those with young children or vulnerable health conditions. "It's been hard, especially if you have a young child," said Matt Reid, one resident who is struggling to adjust to the new guidelines. "I have a young child, so it's kind of hard for me to give my child a lukewarm bath."
As building management and health officials work together to remediate the water system and test its effectiveness, residents are left to navigate the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with living in a potentially contaminated environment. With treatment taking several months or longer to complete, the question on everyone's mind remains: how safe is it to shower again?
The residents of 3333 Broadway towers A and B in Harlem are facing an unprecedented crisis, with many opting to abandon showers altogether due to concerns about Legionnaires' disease, a potentially deadly form of pneumonia caused by the waterborne bacterium Legionella. For over a month now, the apartment building has been on high alert after two cases of the disease were confirmed within its walls, prompting city health officials to issue guidelines for residents to minimize their risk.
According to health department recommendations, baths are deemed safer than showers, with buckets of water or hoses being viable alternatives if necessary. However, this advice has left many residents feeling anxious and uncertain about the safety of their water supply. The building management has been criticized for its slow response to the crisis, leaving residents feeling frustrated and seeking compensation.
The Legionella outbreak at 3333 Broadway is a stark reminder of the ongoing risk posed by contaminated water sources in New York City buildings. Last year's Harlem Legionnaires' outbreak, which killed seven people and left over 100 infected, highlighted the dangers of cooling towers and their potential to spread Legionella bacteria throughout entire building systems.
Despite assurances from health officials that the risk of infection is low and that the outbreak at 3333 Broadway is not connected to the larger Harlem Legionnaires' incident, residents remain on edge. Many have expressed concerns about the safety of their own water supply, with some towers not sharing the same system as 3333 Broadway.
The ongoing uncertainty has taken a toll on residents, particularly those with young children or vulnerable health conditions. "It's been hard, especially if you have a young child," said Matt Reid, one resident who is struggling to adjust to the new guidelines. "I have a young child, so it's kind of hard for me to give my child a lukewarm bath."
As building management and health officials work together to remediate the water system and test its effectiveness, residents are left to navigate the uncertainty and anxiety that comes with living in a potentially contaminated environment. With treatment taking several months or longer to complete, the question on everyone's mind remains: how safe is it to shower again?
. I mean, I get why they're being cautious, but 2 cases in a month is still super low and I don't think we should be avoiding showers entirely... like what's next, no more hot water at all? 
It's also frustrating that the building management hasn't been more proactive in addressing this issue - it's not like they're trying to hide anything. And yeah, it's scary that there are vulnerable people out there (like Matt Reid with his young child) who have to deal with this uncertainty 
. I just hope they can get the water system sorted out soon so we can all go back to our usual showering routine 
.
and now they're telling people to give up showers altogether because baths are safer?? what about the kids who need a proper bath? or the ppl who just can't boil water anymore 
. The fact that building management has been slow to respond is just frustrating 
. I can imagine how hard it must be for parents like Matt Reid, who have young kids and need access to clean water 
. This is a classic case of "out of sight, out of mind" for building maintenance – we need better monitoring and testing of water systems to prevent this kind of crisis from happening again 
. It’s crazy that they have to live like this just because of a Legionella outbreak in their building 
. Two cases confirmed and now they’re advised to take showers less often or use buckets instead? That's just not right 
. The fact that the building management has been slow to respond is even more frustrating 
. I can imagine how scary it must be for parents with young kids, especially when it comes to bath time 
. We need better water safety measures in place, ASAP 
.
I feel so bad for these Harlem residents who have to deal with this Legionella crisis 
. It's crazy that they're even thinking of giving up showers altogether 
. I get it, they want to make sure everything is safe and all that, but come on! The health department has guidelines for a reason 
. It's like, they're not even trying to communicate with residents or keep them in the loop about what's going on 
.
. I can imagine how frustrating it must be to live in uncertainty and anxiety every day 
. And for those with young children or vulnerable health conditions, it's like they're walking on eggshells all the time 
.
️ and start taking concrete steps to remediate the water system and test its safety. Until then, these residents are stuck in this limbo 
It's like they're not telling us the whole truth or something. And have u seen the pics of those towers?! They look like some kinda sci-fi movie set! 
I'm low-key convinced that this is all part of some bigger conspiracy to control our daily lives...
. It's not even safe to bathe? What about hygiene? 
meanwhile, buckets of water are a thing now 
building management should've addressed this sooner 
this whole situation is a nightmare 
where I have to worry about Legionnaires' disease every time I take a shower. and don't even get me started on the buckets of water thing... who thought that was a good idea? 
.
. And what really gets me is that people are having to take lukewarm baths with buckets or hoses - can you imagine?! 
. In the meantime, I'll be sending positive vibes their way 
.
. Who's to say it's not actually better for our health? 
I mean, imagine having to give your little one a lukewarm bath because of a waterborne disease that can be deadly if you're not careful. It's just so... frustrating for everyone involved. 
Like, how long before the treatment is done? Are there any plans for alternative shower options? Some transparency would be a huge relief right about now.
But what really gets me is that this isn't an isolated incident - we've already seen how devastating Legionnaires' outbreaks can be, and now it seems like another building in Harlem is dealing with its own crisis. 
It's like the city needs to take a hard look at its water infrastructure and figure out ways to prevent these kinds of things from happening in the future.
Until then, I hope everyone stays safe and healthy! 
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. A lukewarm bath just isn't the same as having a hot shower, you know? It's not like they're asking for the moon here, just basic safety and security.
. The building management needs to step up their game and prioritize resident safety 