Residents of LES building boiling water due to Legionella bacteria in plumbing system

Residents at a building on the Lower East Side say they haven't been allowed to shower in over a month and must boil water due to Legionella bacteria in their plumbing system.

For resident Dana Cruz, preparing a bath for her 8-year-old son might as well be like preparing a four-course meal.

"Because I'm using cold water in the bathtub. I have to boil... get these to boiling point just to make them warm enough that my son will be screaming that he's in a freezing ice bath," Cruz said.

She is using cold water and mixing it with boiling water because there is Legionella bacteria in her building.

Unlike the buildings impacted by the Legionairres' outbreak on the Upper East Side, the towers at Haven Plaza don't have cooling towers, so residents can use the AC.

However, the Legionella is in their plumbing system, so the city is recommending residents not drink the water, or bathe or shower in the water.

Cruz is the Tenant's Association president at the Haven Plaza in Alphabet City, where all four residential towers, 371 units in all, have been impacted for about a month, but residents say they've had issues with their plumbing for many years.

"It's the Legionella bacteria that's the biggest problem because you cannot shower," said resident Janet Sibarium.

Catholic Homes owns the property, while Wavecrest Management manages it.

In a joint statement, they said, "Following the second case... property management began a full testing and remediation program as required by City guidelines once there have been two cases within a one-year period. This has included inspections and now remediation, which will beginJuly 28."

The Department of Health says a resident tested positive for Legionnaires' in May of 2025. A second case was confirmed this past May, which triggered the city to step in.

The city inspects cooling towers, but it does not inspect plumbing systems.

The Department of Health added, "Haven Plaza's water system remains under evaluation by the NYC Health Department at this time."

Some residents believe that's not enough.

"Department of Health where are you? We need you to be putting pressure on Wavecrest," said resident Gwen Nemcek. "We need Wavecrest to realize this is affecting everybody's lives here. Do you even care?"