KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
Legionella levels in Osawatomie State Hospital's water supply tested at "out of control" levels last year, according to documents obtained by KSHB 41 Wednesday.
“Out of control, that’s bad," former Mental Health Technician Katie Jackson told KSHB 41.
Jackson spent 13 years working directly with patients at the state hospital.
"The Legionella levels found from this round of testing are what the CDC considers out of control," the report stated. "Based on this data and CDC guidelines, it is recommended Osawatomie state (hospital) do an emergency disinfection as soon as possible."
It's been over a year since Jackson left her role at the Osawatomie State Hospital. She told KSHB 41, she was never notified of any high test levels.
"They never told us anything about that," Jackson stated as she reviewed the test results. “That’s not good. Our patients there were always the most vulnerable... That would’ve stuck out to me because that’s not okay.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionella commonly grows in water systems. Elevated levels of exposure such as breathing in water droplets can cause a severe type of pnuemonia called Legionnaires' disease. It can also cause a mild flu-like illness named Pontiac fever.
KSHB 41's Miami County Reporter Ryan Gamboa has extensively covered a 2024 legislative safety and security audit at the Osawatomie State Hospital.
Water safety was not reviewed by state auditors in the December 2024 report.
"This is, this is sad," added Jackson.
While reporting on the audit, a source provided Gamboa with the Legionella test results. KSHB 41 confirmed those results through a public records request through the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, or KDADS.
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KSHB 41 has requested additional information about whether there were any confirmed cases of Legionnaires' Disease or Pontiac Fever related to the 2024 testing.
The report shows that samples taken from numerous locations on the Osawatomie State Hospital campus including kitchens, bathrooms, and hot water tanks had elevated levels of Legionella detection.
"It’s place they go, activities center, special services buildings, buildings C, the Adair Buildings, those are short term places," Jackson said while reading through the Legionella test results. "B Building that’s where we have our most vulnerable patients. We have our oldest patients there... It’s our unit where the patients who have the most medical issues are. They’re the ones that are most susceptible to it.”
The tests were conducted by Garratt Callahan, a water testing company based in California. The company also has a Kansas office. The firm collected 28 total samples on Feb. 21, 2024.
The report noted that 20 of the 28 samples tested positive for Legionella, a 71% test positivity rate.
Hot water potable water systems had a 76% positivity rate, according to the report.
The water testing company recommended the hospital flush its system and install filters for staff, guest, and patient safety. According to the report, those filters would be safe for 90 days.
"I would've liked to see more information about this when they noticed it was starting to get high," Jackson said.
The Kansas Department for Disability and Aging Services told KSHB 41 in an email there has been a two-year process in place for Legionella mitigation.
"Preventative measures have been a key part of the hospital’s strategy," a KDADS spokesperson wrote to KSHB 41. "A campus-wide water flushing program was initiated to promote system hygiene and prevent stagnation. Chlorine levels from water suppliers have been closely monitored to ensure proper disinfection, and detailed plans were developed to manage internal water main operations more effectively. When higher-than-expected Legionella counts were identified during one round of testing, OSH promptly investigated and determined that several water heaters were not consistently reaching optimal temperatures. In response, maintenance teams immediately began flushing water storage tanks and increased the frequency of temperature monitoring."
"The hospital also collaborated closely with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) to implement longer-term corrective actions," the KDADS spokesperson wrote in an email. "These included designing and installing water heater upgrades, specifically new mixing valves and controls, to ensure hot water storage temperatures remained between 140 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, as recommended by health authorities."
KDADS reports the necessary system upgrades have been completed and it remains committed to regular testing and preventative maintenance.
KSHB 41 asked KDADS if patients, staff, and guests were notified about the water testing levels. This story will be updated if a comment is provided.