66-68 WATER TECHNOLOGY:SPN Master pages 18/5/09 17:57 Page 4
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CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
Free chlorine essential says Guidelines now in place to microbial testing and good practices such as
Dutch study stop more “Holidays from prevention and management actions to
One paper which looked at alternative Hell” illnesses prevent drowning. Twenty one responses
water disinfection technologies was based The outbreaks of illnesses in Spanish were received in the short survey to look at
on the system in the Netherlands where a holiday pools led to headlines in national updating the issues and the responses were
study sponsored by the Dutch Government newspapers such as “Holidays from Hell”. from professionals involved in water quality
searched for news cleansing methods. Holidays makers who were caught up in for pools. The results of the survey ‘seem to
Presented by Frank Osterholt, senior outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis in a number support a call for European co-operation
researcher at the KWR Water Recycle of swimming pools in the Balearic Islands in aiming at a common approach to pool safety
Institute the research tested 12 methods 2000 and 2002 were the victims of a system and protection of health and consumer
focused on municipals pools. which the pools were under Spanish control interests seems pertinent as well as a
The conclusion was reported to the but those affected were in the UK. At the harmonised system of health surveillance.’
conference as: “The (analysis) performed in time there were no guidelines for hoteliers “Key research needs to support this aim
this study results in five alternative and tour operators. The symptoms started were technical standards for operation,
disinfection techniques or combinations of while people were on holiday but got exposure to disinfectant by-products as
techniques for swimming pool water worse when they returned home. concentrations of chemicals applied,” the
treatment which show good opportunities A conference paper by Rodney paper reported.
to prevent the formation or reduce the Cartwright, Medical Advisor, Federation of
presence of undesired by-products during Tour Operators and Esteban Delgado Public Swimming pool disease burden
disinfection. As each of these techniques is Health Advisor, Federation of Tour needs greater surveillance
based on the production/ addition of free Operators reported that: “Experience has Gordon Nichols from the UK’s Health
chlorine, the result also shows that for shown than many hoteliers and swimming Protection Agency Centre for Infections
sufficient microbiological disinfection – free pool operatives are unaware of the technical presented a paper looking at ways to
chlorine is essential. Three alternatives with requirements for the efficient management assess the disease burden from swimming.
a different disinfection strategy, of the water in swimming pools. It is “The Food Standards Agency’s first
copper/silver ionization, hydrogen unfortunate that the same applies to many study on Infectious Intestinal Diseases
peroxide and UV/hydrogen peroxide did public health and environmental health staff provided an important means of relating
not pass the microbiological effectiveness who monitor the same functioning of pools. infectious diseases diagnosed in the
test as individual techniques.” “A commonly held view is that if there is laboratory to what is happening within the
A new more advanced study has now a problem then increase the frequency of community and formed the basis of work
been commissioned starting this summer. backwashing to once or twice a day. This on the burden of food-borne disease.
illustrates the lack of understanding that a “However this approach did not provide
Membrane filter improve backwashed filter needs to settle properly an insight into the likely disease burden
water quality before effectively working again. Very few attributable to swimming. A form of
A practical test on a hot water pool at hotels have flow meters that give a enhanced surveillance involving case
Marselisborg hospital in Denmark for measure of filter efficiency. studies has the potential for providing
physical rehabilitation therapy found that The paper concluded that swimming much stronger information about risks. A
water quality improved by the use of a pool cryptosporidiosis can cause major study conducted over three years on
membrane filter, UV and electro chlorination. disturbances in a holiday hotel affecting sporadic Campylobacter and Salmonella
The water treatment system at the pool the hotelier, the guests and the tour cases has been used to look as the risks
was changed two years before and operators. Major outbreaks in the Balearic associated with travel related infections
replaced by a large UV system and a Islands in 2000 and 2002 revealed that where swimming in swimming pools may
chlorine generator using hydrochloric acid. there was no publicised guidance and for be important risks.”
The paper presented by Henrik Rasmus hoteliers-and this us situation still applies.
Andersen, Associate Professor at the There are however now guidelines. Barcelona study finds no link
Department of Environmental Engineering with swimming and asthma
at the Technical University of Denmark Pan European approach is A study into lifetime swimming pool
headed the paper: “The end of sand, needed says survey attendance, asthma, eczema and
carbon and sodium hypochlorite?” A more common approach to swimming respiratory systems in schoolchildren was
The paper concluded: “A complete pool problems across Europe was the call to carried out in association with the Centre of
change in technology of the water come from a study carried out by pool Research in Environmental Epidemiology in
treatment system for a highly loaded professionals and presented at the Barcelona which conducted a survey of
water pool. ...showed both water quality conference by Katherine Pond, Researcher 3,300 Spanish schoolchildren to try and
and running costs were acceptable at the Robens Centre for Public and evaluate the links between swimming pool
according to comparable pools and Environmental Health at the University of attendance and respiratory problems.
significantly better than the unusually Surrey in Guilford. She looked at current “The parents completed a questionnaire
poorly performing traditional water issues associated with swimming pools, spas on frequency of indoor and outdoor pool
treatment system which it replaced. and other recreational water environments. attendance currently and from birth. The
“We predict this achievement marks the The survey aimed to update and look at conclusion was that swimming pool
beginning of a time when membrane filters the guidelines which are set out in the two attendance was associated with less upper
will be considered as comparable volumes of the World Health Organisation’s and lower respiratory tract symptoms and
alternatives to sand filter systems both for rules on health hazards associated with with more eczema.”
new pools and as replacements for swimming pools, spas, hot tubs; plunge Longer term studies are needed said
renovation of traditional sand filter systems.” pools, natural spas and therapy spas. the report.
To download a copy of this paper, visit The guidelines provide help on For more details on the paper presented at
the Swimming Pool News website. recommended sampling frequencies for the London conference go to www.pwtag.org
68 swimming pool news JUNE 09
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Digital edition available at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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