Local Laws 76 and 77 are New York City laws that focus on the maintenance and safety of cooling towers, which are used in air-conditioning and other building systems. Local Law 77, passed in 2015, requires building owners to register their cooling towers with the city, perform regular inspections and cleanings, test the water for bacteria like Legionella, and file an annual certification to confirm everything is in compliance. Local Law 76, passed in 2019, builds on this by requiring owners to submit detailed records of these inspections and test results to the city within 30 days. These laws were created to help prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease and ensure that cooling towers are properly maintained and monitored.

Requirements for building owners:
1. Submit inspection and test results to the NYC DOHMH within 30 days of each inspection or test (quarterly submission).
2. Include dates of inspections, tests, cleanings, disinfections                                                                                                                                             3. Ensure reports are filed electronically through the NYC Cooling Tower Portal.
4. Continue to maintain records on-site for review by city inspectors.
5. Comply with DOHMH enforcement and transparency requirements, allowing public health monitoring of compliance.