By Laura Elder
The Daily News
Published January 30, 2009

GALVESTON — As crews prepare to pump chlorine into the water system at the U.S. Army Corps’ of Engineers island headquarters to rid it of the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, corps officials had scheduled a second meeting with employees, this time to talk with health experts.

Today’s meeting is for the nearly 200 employees who work at the Jadwin Building, 2000 Fort Point Road. Some U.S. Coast Guard personnel also work in the building.

The corps has invited some representatives from the Galveston County Health District to speak with employees, Col. David C. Weston, the Galveston District commander said.

“This is essential information for our employees, as they deal with potential hazards posed by the bacteria,” Weston said.

Earlier this week, the corps announced results from samples sent to laboratories Jan. 12 showed the water in the building tested positive for the bacteria.

The corps took water samples after finding leaking pipes in the building during routine testing of its fire suppression system.

On Wednesday, officials announced city water flowing into the building tested negative for the bacteria.

The corps is providing bottled water and hand sanitizer to its employees.

Legionnaires’ disease is a respiratory infection characterized by high fever, coughing and pneumonia in people with compromised immune systems.

People contract the disease when they breathe mist or vapor contaminated with the bacteria, leading officials to also test air quality in the building, Weston said.

So far, no employees had reported falling ill with Legionnaires’ disease, corps officials on Wednesday said.

The corps said it is commissioning a professional firm to treat and test the water system.

The treatment, scheduled to begin today and continue through the weekend, includes pumping strong chlorine solution into the building’s water pipes.

The chlorine solution will remain in the pipes at least 48 hours, officials said.

After that, the entire water system will be flushed with freshwater until a slight residual amount of chlorine remains in the system, followed by more testing.

Legionella is most often associated with the air-conditioning systems fitted to hospitals and large office buildings, according to reports.

This is the second Legionnaires’ scare on the island since Hurricane Ike struck Sept. 13, causing widespread disruption to water systems. University of Texas Medical Branch officials in early December found the bacteria at John Sealy Hospital but not in quantities potent enough to harm the public, they said.

The disease caused by the bacteria takes its name from an outbreak at the Pennsylvania American Legion convention in July 1976 when 34 of more than 200 people contracted it and died.