Eight months after detecting Legionella, a medical barracks at Joint Base San Antonio is still shuttered to residents and employees.
The barracks detected the bacteria, which can cause a severe type of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease, in its water this past September, forcing 100 residents and 50 employees in the building to relocate across the installation as officials have examined the situation.
After months of extensive cleaning and maintenance efforts, officials still don’t have a date for when residents can return.
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Public health and water experts who spoke to Military.com said that, while Legionella bacteria can be a complicated problem, it’s one that can be handled with the right processes and, in some cases, can even be worked on without relocating people.
Rob Strain, a spokesman for the 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs at the joint base, told Military.com that the latest water sample was taken in mid-April and subsequent result showed there was no longer Legionella detected, but the base still does not have a timeline for moving residents and employees back into the barracks.
“The bottom line is that we’re not going to move anyone back into Liberty Barracks until leadership and public health experts are satisfied with the condition of the facility,” Strain said in an emailed…
