NJ A2032

Building owners must register cooling towers with the Department of Health before initial operation (new towers) or within 30 days of the act's effective date (existing towers), providing contact information, manufacturer details, and cooling capacity specifications

Cooling towers must be inspected and tested for microbes at least every three months during periods of use, with owners required to develop maintenance programs following American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers standards

When microbial testing reveals maintenance deficiencies, owners must clean and disinfect within 48 hours; serious health threat levels require notification to DOH and cleaning within 24 hours

Civil penalties range from up to $2,000 for first violations to $5,000 for subsequent violations, with penalties up to $10,000 for violations causing serious injury or death; knowingly failing to comply with a department order is a fourth-degree crime

The Commissioner of Health must submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature on cooling tower registrations, compliance violations, Legionnaire's disease cases over the previous 10 years, and recommendations for further legislative action