CDC: 1 in 8 Pools May Pose Infection Risk
Before plunging into your local public pool, you might want to stop and think about what you might be plunging into. The pool might not be as sanitary as it should be, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers found that one out of eight pools had to be closed immediately for serious code violations.
The report, published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report this week, analyzed data from more than 121,000 routine pool inspections in 13 states in 2008. More than 12 percent of the inspections found serious violations that caused the pools to close immediately.
Violations included an inadequate level of chlorine in the pool and an improper pH level of the water, both of which can lead to transmitting disease-causing germs.
The researchers examined data from inspections of pools in child care facilities, residential complexes, hotels and motels, kiddie/wading pools and interactive fountains.
Comment: Our local pool was closed for Scarlet Fever, many years ago.