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But PSPC now says it is relying on its traditional testing methods, which showed lower levels. The highest levels it found that way indicated that some towers needed to be watched, but had not reached hazardous levels.

“We support innovation through this Build In Canada Innovation Program, but that test procedure is innovative. It isn’t commercially available. It is meant to test the actual methodologies,” said Kevin Radford, an assistant deputy minister with PSPC, referencing the program that sponsored the Spartan research.

And he said PSPC’s testing methods “meet or exceed” any in North America.

PSPC was interested in Spartan’s fast technology — results in 45 minutes instead of days or weeks — and commissioned the study to see how well it works.

For some buildings, the results were far from positive. Four of the 51 cooling towers tested were at least 10 times over the limit for legionella bacteria. One tower was at least 100 times over the limit.

The building with that tower was disinfected as a precaution, said Radford.

That building houses Environment Canada on Dufferin Street in Toronto, this newspaper has learned. Three other buildings that showed lower but still elevated bacteria levels haven’t been identified by PSPC.

PSPC sent Spartan’s report to both Health Canada and the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services and both said the technology needs more testing.

Radford said there are measures in the rooftops to keep water vapour from leaving the cooling tower and being pulled into air intakes, so having bacteria in the towers doesn’t mean there are bacteria in the building’s air.