Additional sanitation in process at Lancaster County Prison after more water tests come back positive for Legionnaires’ Disease

Jan 30, 2024

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — The Lancaster County Prison is conducting additional sanitation of their water systems after another six tests yielded preliminary positive results for Legionella at the facility.

One inmate who was temporarily housed at LCP tested positive for Legionnaires’ Disease after returning to a State Correctional Institution. When prison faculty were notified on Aug. 11, they ordered additional testing of the inmate's cell and the entire building, which was completed on Aug. 22. A day later, the prison's Medical Housing Unit underwent a hyper chlorination process to disinfect and kill off any bacteria within the system.

The six additional preliminary positive results were received on Aug. 28 and stemmed from the prison's Highrise Building. LCP removed inmates from the affected cells and ordered additional hyper chlorination for the building's water systems.

The extra sanitation process begins today. It will take three days to properly treat each cell block in the Highrise Building, LCP officials said. The process will be applied to all the cells and general use water fixtures in each cell block.

Inmates and staff will not be able to use the water systems while they are being treated due to the extremely high levels of chlorination. Affected inmates will be moved to alternate housing units where they will receive the same accommodations, LCP said. Inmates will also receive bottled beverages and bagged meals during this period.

LCP says that normal operations will continue during the sanitation period, including block out and visitation.

Additional testing will take place two weeks after the hyper chlorination process to be sure that all Legionella is gone from the system.

"Since the original notification of a former inmate testing positive for Legionnaire’s Disease, LCP has specifically monitored inmates and staff for symptoms consistent with Legionella and contacted those who resided within the prison 30 days prior to the positive test result. At this time, no other inmates or staff have demonstrated symptoms consistent with Legionnaires’ Disease. LCP and their onsite medical provider, PrimeCare, will continue to monitor symptoms and order testing if necessary," prison officials said.

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