Dirksen Federal Building to Install Secondary Water Disinfection System Amid Legionella Concerns
The Dirksen federal building in Chicago will install a secondary water disinfection system due to repeated Legionella test results, following complaints.
Chicago, IL, August 6, 2026 —
The Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago is set to undergo the installation of a secondary water disinfection system. This measure comes as a response to repeated positive test results for Legionella bacteria in the building’s water supply.
The decision to implement the new system follows a series of complaints related to the water quality within the facility. Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia, and Pontiac fever, a milder flu-like illness. The presence of these bacteria in building water systems, particularly in plumbing, hot water tanks, and cooling towers, has been a public health concern.
Specific details regarding the timeline for the installation of the secondary disinfection system, the exact nature of the complaints, or the precise dates of the repeated Legionella test results were not provided. The type of secondary disinfection system to be installed and the projected costs associated with the project were also not detailed in the information available.
The General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees federal buildings, has been the entity responsible for addressing the situation. Further updates on the project’s progress and the expected completion date are anticipated.
Story summarized from the original created by Mark Rivera on abc7chicago.com, see more information here.
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