In a significant move for public health, Salt Lake County (SLC) legislators have officially signed off on a specialized Legionella Prevention Program. On February 23, 2026, the Finance Committee approved a multi-year contract aimed at rigorous testing and treatment of water systems within county-owned buildings.
At Legionnaires Lawyers, we closely monitor these legislative shifts. While many municipalities wait for an outbreak to occur before taking action, this proactive approach in Salt Lake City marks a vital step toward eliminating the risk of Legionnaires’ disease in public spaces.
What the SLC Program Entails
The newly approved contract, awarded to M.I.S. of America, establishes a comprehensive maintenance and testing protocol that will run through December 31, 2028. The program focuses on the “high-risk” areas of building infrastructure where Legionella bacteria are most likely to colonize:
- Cooling Towers: These systems use large amounts of water to cool buildings and can easily aerosolize bacteria into the surrounding air.
- Boilers and Steam Systems: Inconsistent temperatures in heating systems can create the “warm water” environment (77°F–113°F) where Legionella thrives.
- The County Courthouse: As a primary site for testing, this high-traffic public building will see increased scrutiny to ensure the safety of employees, jurors, and visitors.
The Shift Toward “Maintenance as Prevention”
During the legislative session, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Cory Perrault emphasized that this testing is not a one-time event but a yearly requirement. This is a critical distinction. Legionnaires’ disease is often the result of “dead legs” in plumbing or poorly maintained HVAC systems. By codifying a recurring prevention program, SLC is setting a “standard of care” that other counties should follow.
Why This Matters for Your Legal Rights
From a legal perspective, the approval of this program raises the bar for building safety. When a government entity or a private landlord fails to implement these known industry standards:
- It Establishes Negligence: If a prevention program is available and approved, failing to utilize it can be used as evidence of a “breach of duty” in a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
- It Eliminates the “We Didn’t Know” Defense: By discussing and funding these programs, legislators are acknowledging the known threat of Legionella. Property owners can no longer claim the risk was unforeseeable.
Protecting the Salt Lake Community
While we applaud Salt Lake County for taking these steps, prevention programs are only as effective as their execution. Proper sampling, accurate laboratory analysis, and immediate remediation of “positive” results are the only ways to truly keep the public safe.
Have you been affected by an outbreak in a public building? Even with prevention programs in place, system failures happen. If you or a loved one contracted Legionnaires’ disease in Utah, you need a legal team that understands the intersection of public policy and premises liability.
Contact Legionnaires Lawyers today for a free consultation.