YWCA Evanston/North Shore remains closed until further notice as the association works with city and state health officials to deal with the Legionella bacteria discovered late last week.
Breathing in small droplets of water that contain the Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a type of severe pneumonia. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, fever, headaches, muscle ache, shortness of breath and, in certain worst-case scenarios, nausea and diarrhea. The bacteria naturally occurs in water, but it only reaches dangerous levels in pipes. It spreads through water mist rather than air or person-to-person contact.
While that makes the disease less contagious, it does mean that any water source that tested positive for Legionella bacteria needs to be shut off until it can be mitigated.
According to the YWCA, it asked the Illinois Department of Public Health to test for the bacteria after it was “recently made aware that two individuals who were associated with YWCA E/NS tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease.” The tests revealed the presence of bacteria in the hot water system. The pools and the cold water system tested negative.
After the initial tests came back positive on Oct. 10, the YWCA closed the Church Street building, and programming has either been paused or shifted to virtual. Over the past few days, the Y has put several short-term measures in place while working on the long-term plan to make sure Legionella is removed and doesn’t return.
How the YWCA has responded
As the CDC explains, getting ridding of Legionella isn’t as simple as disinfecting pipes. The building owners must work with consultants to contain the spread and make sure the conditions don’t lead to further spread.
YWCA Evanston/North Shore spokesperson Erin Venable said to the best of her knowledge, there hasn’t been anyone else who tested positive for the disease other than the original two individuals. She said that, due to privacy concerns, she couldn’t share any further information on the patients.
As of Oct. 12, the YWCA installed “.2-micron filters” that “have a 99.99999% bacteria kill rate” on all building faucets. It temporarily raised the hot water temperature by 10 degrees. The YWCA also increased chlorine levels in the pools out of abundance of caution from the typical 2 parts per million to 3.5 parts for million. It plans to keep the levels raised for another three months.
YWCA has been working with its water treatment consultant “to conduct a site survey and develop a customized water treatment solution and preventative maintenance management plan.”
The Evanston Health and Human Services Department didn’t respond to a request for comment. Illinois Department of Public Health spokesperson Mike Claffey said the department didn’t have anything to add to the initial city press release.
Impact on programs
The building remains closed as of late Tuesday. All pool and aquatic programs, as well as youth leadership and culinary training programs, have been paused until further notice.
YWCA Evanston/North Shore provides extensive services to survivors of domestic violence, including an on-site shelter. Venable said that the shelter is still operating, but, with the faucets shuts off, the YWCA took “immediate steps” to make sure it has “clean bottled water, food, hand sanitation and personal cleaning supplies.”
“We have also received support from community organizations and businesses who are able to provide temporary housing and/or showers to residents if needed,” she added.
Venable said she couldn’t give a reopening date “at this time,” and encouraged Evanstonians to keep an eye on the mitigation updates page for the latest details.
YWCA remains closed as officials deal with Legionella bacteria is from Evanston RoundTable, Evanston's most trusted source for unbiased, in-depth journalism.