Tag Archives: Pools

The Problem of Poop in the Pool

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Cryptosporidium and norovirus continue to be problems in public swimming pools, but many other kinds of illnesses can also be contracted from contaminated pool water. Including giardia, E. coli, and Shigella; collectively, all these diseases are known as recreational water illnesses (RWIs).  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines RWIs as illnesses that are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans.  The main culprit for RWIs is poop in the pool.

Poop needs to be removed as soon as it’s spotted in the pool.  If it’s formed stool, swimmers should exit the pool and the poop must be fished out of the pool without breaking it apart.  Breaking the stool apart will release any harmful bacteria within it.  Bacteria can still leech out of formed stool, but the sooner it’s removed the less likely that bacteria will escape.  The pool must be properly treated before any swimmers can be allowed back into the pool.  The CDC recommends raising the chlorine content of the water to 2.0 ppm (parts per million) for 30 minutes.

Diarrhea is a much more severe problem.  Diarrheal accidents are much more likely than formed stool to contain germs.  In this case, swimmers must exit the pool while the pool is treated.  As much as possible of the fecal matter should be removed using a net or scoop.  The chlorine will need to be raised to 20 ppm for 13 hours or 10 ppm for 26 hours.  In most cases of diarrhea, the pool must be closed for an extended period of time.

Of course poop in the pool is a problem in private pools as well as commercial pools.  Parents soon forget that their kiddie pool in the backyard must be treated in a similar manner when there is poop in the pool.  In the case of small pools in the backyards, most do not have filters, so the entire pool must be emptied and scrubbed out with a strong bleach detergent.

Poop in the pool is a major health hazard.  Luckily there are proven ways for pool managers to combat RWIs.  Preventative measures include asking people suffering from diarrhea or infants with diapers to refrain from using the pool.  Have a safe summer and help keep poop out of the pool.

Raw milk and crypto in pools — policy choices and public health

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Information about risk — specifically the microbiological risks in food and water — needs to be rapid, reliable, relevant and repeated. Often those with the most information and the most credibility in an outbreak situation are the local medical officers of health, or some other government-type.

And they often don’t say much.

But there are examples of officials doing their jobs and being accountable to the public they serve. In the aftermath of the first case of homegrown bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Canada in May, 2003, Brian Evans, the chief veterinarian for the government of Canada, did an excellent job of explaining here’s what we know, here’s what we don’t know, here’s what we’re doing to find out more, and whatever we find out, you’ll hear it from me first.

Two public health officials have stepped out in the past two days and offered their analysis on a couple of persistent health risks: raw milk and parasites in swimming pools.

Yesterday, Dr. Stephen Ostroff, director, Bureau of Epidemiology, Pennsylvania Department of Health, wrote in the Lebanon Daily News that,

"In light of recent discussions pertaining to raw-milk health issues, the Pennsylvania Department of Health continues to advise consumers that raw milk is an inherently unsafe product regardless of how it is produced. While the permitting process unquestionably enhances the safety margin of raw milk, and we strongly endorse this program, it is not a substitute for milk pasteurization.…

Last year, an outbreak of salmonellosis due to consumption of raw milk sold in south-central Pennsylvania produced 29 illnesses. Sadly, many of the victims were children who had no choice in the kind of milk their parents purchased for them. Indeed, the department is currently investigating another raw-milk-associated outbreak of campylobacter infections. So far, more than 54 illnesses have been reported.

While standard hygiene and production practices can reduce the risk from consuming raw milk, they simply cannot eliminate it. In a 2006 survey of Pennsylvania dairy farms, pathogens were found in 13 percent of bulk tank raw-milk samples. Therefore, the department believes it is necessary to warn consumers about the risks associated with raw milk and to urge persons with immune disorders, pregnant women and young children to avoid consuming this product in the interest of protecting the public’s health."

Today, David N. Sundwall, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, wrote in The Salt Lake Tribune that,

"The UDOH, along with our partners at Utah’s local health departments, carefully considered whether to restrict young children from pools. Young children are more likely to become ill from crypto and more likely to leave poop in the pool. While it might seem like common sense to ban them, we cannot say that they caused the outbreak or that banning them would prevent another one.
Children have been swimming in public pools in Utah in past years when outbreaks didn’t occur. To our knowledge, no state bans children from public pools. Older children and adults, who have control of their bowels when healthy, are also susceptible to "leaking" if they swim with diarrhea.

We chose to continue to allow children to swim with swim diapers and waterproof swim pants. We believe this will help prevent contamination of the pool, but it isn’t foolproof.

Parents of young children need to act responsibly and with common sense. They need to monitor their children and give them frequent potty breaks. Most important, they need to keep them out of the pools when they are ill with diarrhea and for two weeks afterward.

The UDOH takes seriously its responsibility to protect people from health threats like cryptosporidium. After last summer’s outbreak, we considered multiple measures to help prevent a recurrence this summer. Preventing crypto transmission will require a combination of changes at pools and changes in behavior."

Both Ostroff and Sundwall are too be commended. You may not agree with what they say, but at least you know why they came to the positions they advocate. Public health types, please speak out.

Babies won’t be banned from public pools — yet

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The Salt Lake Tribune reports that babies in diapers will most likely not be banned from public pools this summer to prevent the spread of cryptosporidium.

But, their parents may be required to buy special swim diapers that do a better job of containing diarrhea than widely available but ineffectual diapers like Huggies’ Little Swimmers.

And if there is another outbreak, tots in diapers will likely be banned.

Utah had one of 2007’s largest crypto outbreaks in the nation, with 1,949 crypto cases reported. To try to stem the illness, spread through fecal-oral contact, pools in most of the state barred children under 5 from late August to late September. Children in diapers were banned through mid-November.

State epidemiologist Robert Rolfs was quoted as saying,

"Children should be able to go swimming. Most of the children aren’t causing any trouble."

The suggested state rule would require waterproof pants and/or swim diapers that fit around the legs and waist for children 3 or younger, those who aren’t potty-trained, and anyone without control of bodily functions.

Pooping in pools spreads to Australia

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The U.S., then Alberta, the U.K. and now Australia, and all with the same message: If you’re recovering from diarrhea, stay out of the pool.

This time it’s New South Wales Health – it’s nearly summertime in Sydney — which has reported 129 reported cases of cryptosporidiosis in November, compared to 32 cases the previous month.

NSW Health communicable diseases director Jeremy McAnulty said people who had suffered attacks of diarrhoea should wait two weeks before using swimming pools, adding,

"While there is no common link among most cases, in the past very large outbreaks in NSW have been caused by people swimming in contaminated pools. Pools can easily be contaminated by infectious swimmers and so it is vital that people take care not to contaminate pools."