Legionella bacteria cleared from State Center complex in Baltimore
BALTIMORE — The State Center building at 301 West Preston Street has been cleared of Legionella bacteria, the Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) announced Friday.
Legionella bacteria was detected at State Center building, after a DGS program was initiated to establish baseline testing and best practices to monitor water quality in its buildings statewide.
The State Center building was closed while mitigation efforts were undertaken to treat the water, the DGS said.
"DGS is dedicated to establishing a regular cadence of testing in the interest of promoting the health and safety of state employees and building visitors, as many state-owned buildings are old and facing deteriorating maintenance issues. Primarily, the tests will help establish better monitoring and control of the building's water systems," the department said in a statement. "Our federal counterpart, the U.S. General Services Administration recently launched a similar effort."
Legionella presence at city buildings
In December 2024, the Baltimore City Mayor's Office reported that high levels of Legionella bacteria had been detected in the water at several city buildings, including City Hall and three courthouses. Those buildings reopened after flushing and chlorination treatments last week.
"The discovery of elevated legionella bacteria in these municipal buildings follows similar discoveries in the City's courthouses and in state government facilities at State Center," the mayor's office said in a statement. "Since then, mitigation efforts have been completed in those buildings, and they have since reopened."
A hygienist re-tested the water system at the State Center building on Dec. 23 and found that all samples were within normal limits, the DGS said Friday. The building is open with no water restrictions.
"The discovery of elevated legionella bacteria in these municipal buildings follows similar discoveries in the City's courthouses and in state government facilities at State Center," the mayor's office said in a statement. "Since then, mitigation efforts have been completed in those buildings, and they have since reopened."
What is Legionella bacteria?
Legionella is a bacterium that can cause Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Infection occurs when individuals inhale water vapor or mist contaminated with the bacteria.
It can spread through faucets, fountains and other large plumbing systems, but rarely spreads from person to person.
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, shortness of breath and digestive symptoms. Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick.
