The Ohio Department of Transportation has temporarily shut off water to several buildings at its West Broad Street campus in Columbus after tests found Legionella bacteria in the plumbing, a discovery that quickly turned routine office water use into a health-safety exercise. Employees are relying on bottled water and temporary hand-washing stations while crews work on the system, a process the agency has warned could stretch up to two weeks. As of March 4, no cases of Legionnaires’ disease had been reported.
ODOT Response And Office Impacts
An internal alert sent to staff on March 3 said lab tests had confirmed Legionella at the West Broad campus and that water service was shut off to multiple buildings while crews assess and treat the system, according to The Columbus Dispatch. In the meantime, ODOT has set up potable drinking water stations and temporary hand-washing setups at affected facilities.
The alert advised employees who develop a cough, fever, or breathing problems to contact their health care provider and to mention the possible exposure so clinicians know what to look for. ODOT told staff that remediation could take up to two weeks while additional testing and treatments are carried out.
What Legionella Is And Who’s Most At Risk
Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious type of pneumonia, or a milder flu-like illness called Pontiac fever. People are typically infected after breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms usually show up two to 14 days after exposure and commonly include cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. The CDC notes that people who are 50 or older, current or former smokers, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic lung disease are at higher risk for severe illness if they are exposed.
How Remediation Typically Works
ODOT said crews will be flushing, testing, and treating the plumbing while access to potable water is restricted. On a large, complex campus, that kind of work rarely wraps up overnight, which is why the agency has prepared employees for a multi-week process.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that controlling Legionella in building plumbing usually involves systematic flushing and point-of-use filtration, and can also include disinfection or temporary filters while testing continues. EPA guidance also cautions that flushing can stir up bacteria in pipes, so building operators often try to minimize spray during the process and rely on filters or bottled water until follow-up test results come back clear.
What Employees And Visitors Should Do
According to ODOT’s alert, any employee who develops symptoms such as cough, fever, or trouble breathing should contact a health care provider and explain that they may have been exposed to water where Legionella was detected. The agency stresses that people should seek prompt care if they experience serious breathing problems or a high fever.
Clinicians commonly use urinary antigen tests and respiratory cultures to check for Legionnaires’ disease, diagnostic steps the CDC recommends so cases can be confirmed early and antibiotic treatment started quickly if needed. For now, ODOT has provided bottled water and temporary hand-washing stations and said it will continue with additional rounds of testing as remediation moves forward, per The Columbus Dispatch.
Where This Fits In Around Ohio
This is not the first time Legionella has drawn attention in Ohio this winter. In December 2025, the Ohio Department of Health investigated a cluster of cases tied to Christ Hospital in Cincinnati that resulted in multiple infections and hospital-wide remediation measures, according to FOX19.
Public health officials have pointed to more systematic water-management programs, including routine testing, filtration, and maintenance, as key tools that help prevent detections like these from turning into larger outbreaks. This story will be updated as ODOT releases new test results or as public health guidance evolves.
