GSA’s Public Buildings Service Great Lakes Region (PBS Region 5) did not respond to water contamination at the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building in a timely manner. As a result, building occupants were at risk of exposure to potentially harmful levels of lead, copper, and Legionella bacteria, and were not provided with critical information necessary to make informed decisions about their health and safety.
We found that PBS Region 5 did not respond in a timely manner for two reasons. First, PBS’s water quality management policy did not convey a sense of urgency or include clear time frames for responding to water contamination. Second, PBS’s building management personnel did not know how to respond to the water contamination, which caused delays in PBS Region 5’s response.
In response to this audit memorandum, the PBS Commissioner detailed a number of actions that GSA has taken or plans to take in an effort to improve water quality management.
