Warning on swimming pools infection risk

LEGISLATION is needed to regulate private and public swimming pools, spa pools and similar leisure facilities, a meeting of health officers was told.

A survey has revealed that a wide range of infections is due to swimming and spa pools, the biennial conference of the Environmental Health Officers' Association, in Sligo, heard yesterday.

They include verruca and athlete's foot, eye and ear infections, skin rashes, gastroenteritis, respiratory complaints and amoebic infections, said Ms Ann Millar, environmental health officer with the North Western Health Board.

Swimming and spa pools are polluted by mucus, saliva, sweat, hair, scales from the skin, lotions, oils, dirt, urine from bathers and materials used for cleaning pool surrounds, she said.

Continuous disinfection is needed for microbiological control, as is adequate filtration.

"The general opinion in the environmental health profession is that incidents like these occur too frequently and pose a risk to public health," she said.

Swimming is now the second most popular activity in the country, Ms Millar said, in a paper entitled "Can Leisure Damage Your Health?"

A well managed pool should not transmit infection provided; there are adequate disinfectant residuals, satisfactory water chemistry and well maintained filters.

"But as you can see, there are many pool associated infections which appear to cause risk to public health as a result of poorly managed pools," Ms Millar said.

The incidents uncovered by her survey of all the health board regions are "most likely the tip of the iceberg, as it is believed that many cases of infection are not reported or recorded."

A multi disciplinary working group should be established to prepare proposals for legislative controls she said.

Ireland lags behind most EU countries, and the US and Canada, in not having legal standards on pool cleanliness, bather load and dilution with fresh water. Inspection of pools and leisure facilities by environmental health officers is a discretionary function and takes place only by agreement and with the permission of the pool management.

"Many environmental health offices are stretched to the limit - fulfilling statutory functions, therefore regular monitoring is not carried out; in certain cases pools are only inspected following complaints from the public."