Alphabet City Residents Report Conflicting Health Guidance Amid Legionella Concerns

Tensions are rising at the Haven Plaza apartment complex in Alphabet City as residents grapple with the presence of *Legionella* bacteria in their building's water system. The discovery follows confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease among tenants in May 2025 and May 2026, prompting significant concern over daily water usage.

Many residents report that they have been avoiding showers for weeks, with some resorting to boiling water on their stoves to bathe. This practice, however, has been explicitly discouraged by the New York City Department of Health. In a recent statement, the agency warned that boiling water for bathing poses a significant risk of injury and clarified that there is no general directive for all residents to avoid showering. According to the department, specific precautions—such as avoiding showers in favor of baths—are intended only for individuals identified as high-risk.

This official stance has created confusion, as residents point to a July 1 town hall meeting where a health department representative appeared to suggest that boiling water was an acceptable method for preparing a bath. City Council member Harvey Epstein, who attended the meeting virtually, acknowledged the frustration caused by the conflicting information, noting that the guidance provided to tenants has been "a bit contradictory."

"The information has unfortunately been a bit contradictory," Epstein said. "It's clear they're saying you should boil water because you can't turn on hot water and put it in the tub. Now I was surprised to hear that but they're the experts, not me."

In response to the ongoing concerns, the Department of Health maintained that it has engaged with residents through multiple meetings and outreach efforts to provide clear recommendations. The agency emphasized that it is working to ensure the building's management takes the necessary steps to remediate the plumbing system. Officials also clarified that the current situation at Haven Plaza is contained within the building's internal plumbing and is unrelated to the separate cluster of Legionella cases linked to cooling towers on the Upper East Side.

Building management has announced that formal remediation of the water system is scheduled to commence on July 28, 2026. Until then, residents remain in a state of uncertainty, balancing the need for hygiene with the conflicting safety protocols provided by city authorities.