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MANAGING CRYPTOSPORIDIUM IN SWIMMING POOLS


Results Of New Study Rings Alarm Bells


In the first of a two part feature, Robbie Phillips and Richard Lamburn, STA’s Technical Pool Plant Team, look at the results of a recent study which focused on ‘Managing Cryptosporidium in Swimming Pools’


S


ince 2001, swimming pools have been the most common setting for outbreaks of waterborne infectious intestinal disease in England and


Wales, with Cryptosporidium being the leading cause. In response in 2013 the Public Protection team at the City of Cardiff Council conducted the industry’s first study into the management of Cryptosporidium with the objective of raising standards and reducing the risk of Cryptosporidium outbreaks associated with swimming pools. The results raise important questions on fundamental pool plant procedures. “Through this excellent report, the Public Protection team in the City of Cardiff Council has given the UK leisure industry a major wakeup call – as we know the reports’ findings are indicative of the whole of the UK. With this much-needed evidence we now have the opportunity to be more targeted in our education and focus. This in turn will help improve standards and create safer swimming pool and spa facilities,” said Robbie Philipps, adding: “This included commercial pools under


local authority health and safety enforcement, plus pools run by local authorities and health boards.”


BACKGROUND


Phase 1 of the study involved the development and application of health promotional information. Phase 2 involved undertaking the pool visits and analysing the results. All 22 local authorities in Wales participated in the study between May 2013 and February 2014, and announced visits were made by Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) to a standard protocol. The protocol considered all areas of pool management and operations that are critical to the effective prevention and control of Cryptosporidium. To ensure consistency in approach, STA, as the lead awarding body for pool plant management, assisted in the pro-forma questionnaire, training and assisting the EHPs.


THE RESULTS


At the time of the study a total of 522 pools were reported to be in operation in Wales, and of these 426 were visited (82%).


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PERFORMANCE & CONFIDENCE IN MANAGEMENT RATING OF POOL OPERATORS • 19 (4.5%) pools were found to be in unacceptable or unsatisfactory condition


• 215 (46.5%) were satisfactory (had minor shortcomings or were ‘patchy’)


• 208 (49%) were found to be of a high or good standard


WATER FLOW PROCESS AND SCHEMATICS


A clear concise schematic is a fundamental document as a part of an effective outbreak investigation. Alarmingly, the study revealed that 257 (60%) of the pools did not have adequate schematic diagrams. Holiday accommodation, including 87 holiday parks, were the most common type of business not to have this information.


THE TURNOVER PERIOD This is the time taken for the entire volume of pool water to pass through the water treatment plant and back to the pool. • 156 (37%) pool water operators did not know the turnover period of their pool. The most common type of premises were: holiday accommodation incl. parks and cottages 69 (44%), hotels 40 (26%) and schools 19 (12%).


• 40 (9.5%) pools showed good practice.


FUNDAMENTALS OF POOL PLANT MANAGEMENT • Filtration relies on good circulation and turnover. However in this study 101 (24%) pools did not know the flow rate of their filter.


• Recording and Reaction Logs – 49 ( 12%) pools did not keep a water treatment log and of these five did not understand the required corrective actions. Of the 377 who kept a water treatment log 12 did not understand the required corrective actions.


• Bacterial Testing – 142 (33%) pools did not have a regular microbiological sampling programme. Monthly sampling for bacteriological quality is recommended by PWTAG and HSE to monitor for the presence of microorganisms.


• Chemical Terms Confusions – General perceptions of what chemicals constituted as disinfectants were worrying.


CRITICAL POINTS • 33% of pools did not have a procedure for managing Cryptosporidium.


• 60% of pools did not provide information to pool users on diarrhoea and Cryptosporidium.


• 22% of pools did not have an adequate procedure for faecal contamination.


• 19% of pools did not have a procedure for different stools.


• 45% of pools did not apply any nappy policy. • 2.6% of pools did not have clean and adequate changing facilities.


• 22% of pools did not have suitably trained operators.


KEY LEARNING POINTS FOR THE INDUSTRY


The report provides invaluable information for the industry. Whilst a high or good performance rating was given to 208 (48%) of pools and 240 (57%) were classed as showing ‘best practice’ or ‘strong evidence of up to task’, the study revealed clear shortcomings in the management of Cryptosporidium specifically. The most important of these include: • The lack of a schematic diagram • Poor filter management including a lack of knowledge on turnover periods, medium and high rate filters, the use of coagulant and the timing of backwashing.


• Limited application of policies for keeping Cryptosporidium out of pool water including inadequate or lack of procedures for faecal contamination, nappy policies, information for pool water users and specific Cryptosporidium procedures.


In the next issue of SPN, we will review how this report confirmed the benefits of employing and investing in training for pool plant operators.


STA 01922 645097 www.sta.co.uk


SPN December 2014 45


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