Pool closure explained

Times Contributor 

 

There are many residents questioning why the swimming pool is closed. The staff have said that the closure is for people’s safety, and sanitizing the pool is not just a matter of scooping out the offending material.

“A diarrheal fecal incident is a higher risk event. Those who swim when ill with diarrhea place other swimmers at significant risk for getting sick. Fecal incidents are a concern and an inconvenience to both pool operators and patrons. The pool needs to be closed to protect the health and safety of swimmers and to properly disinfect the water,” said Brenda Condon, pool manager.

Condon outlined the following complex steps that are taken by staff when contamination is discovered:

1. Clear the pool of all patrons.

2. Turn off the UV lamp, pool chemicals and circulation pump.

3. Remove as much fecal matter as possible using a net and dispose of the material into a toilet.

4. Vacuum the pool, if necessary, into the waste drain.

5. The water is then super chlorinated to bring the chlorine up to the level required by Alberta Health.

6. Depending on the level of the chlorine, the pool will need to sit for 12 to 25 hours to ensure proper disinfection.

7. Once the proper amount of time has passed, the chlorine levels need to be brought back down to normal. This can take a long time depending on what the chlorine level was at.

8. Water tests are completed every half hour to keep an eye on where chlorine and PH levels are. This usually takes one person dedicated to water tests. After finishing one set of tests there is usually five minutes before the testing begins again.

9. In the meantime, everything and anything that may have been contaminated must be thoroughly bleached.

10. Backwash the pool to clean the filters of any contamination.

11. Balance the water chemistry. This is where it can get tricky. Bringing the chlorine down can take a while. We use sodium thiosulfate to reduce the chlorine level, but too much can reduce the chlorine levels below what they need to be. Using the rule of halves, we use half of the recommended sodium thiosulfate and see what the result is. This process continues until the chlorine has reached an acceptable level.

12. Once the water chemistry is properly balanced, water samples are sent to the Provincial Lab for bacteriological analysis and the pool is open for business once again.

13. Now it is time to complete all of the paperwork.

Condon said the Strathmore Aquatic Centre sells plastic pants ($5.00) to cover the swimming diaper of anyone not yet trained in bathroom habits. These plastic pants have a tighter elastic around the legs and waist in order to keep in any possible fecal matter. 

Condon expects the pool will be operational for the Ladies Triathlon event and then open to the public.