Applications must be received by the end of July for building owners to license their cooling towers.
This is under new legislated requirements intended to ensure the protection of New Brunswickers.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious respiratory illness caused by the bacteria legionella, which thrives in water. Infection with Legionella can cause fever, cough, muscle pain, and headache and can lead to pneumonia. The illness can be severe, progressing to respiratory failure and death in 10 to 15 per cent of cases.
The regulatory framework is being introduced in two phases:
- Phase 1: Mandatory licensing of cooling towers by Aug. 1.
- Phase 2: Legislated requirements such as water management plans and legionella testing and reporting (implemented by April 2023).
“These new requirements will mean that Public Health will have a comprehensive registry of cooling towers in the province, which will simplify its investigations and allow it to act quickly should any future legionella outbreaks occur,” said Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.
She adds it will also mean establishing a comprehensive monitoring and surveillance system of cooling towers to help prevent future outbreaks.
A consultation process with the industry will be held this fall to receive feedback prior to finalizing the second phase of the regulations.
Those who have obtained licenses for their cooling towers will be invited to participate.
The annual licensing fee is $450 per cooling tower but it has been waived until March 31, 2023.
More information on registering for a license is available online.
