Aquatic facilities have not had a good start to the summer of 2023.
First, several children in Iowa were diagnosed with what is known as the astrovirus after using the same city-owned splash pad. According to a report from B100 in the Quad Cities, astrovirus is a fecal bacteria that can live in water and on surfaces. It is particularly common in splash pads because children often sit or squat over spray features.
The virus can be killed by chlorine, and the splash pad did not have a recirculating water supply (meaning water was used once, then drained off entirely); however, several children who had used the facility began displaying the same symptoms, including a high fever and vomiting.
“So we’re pretty confident that the water itself is not the issue,” said John Schmitz, Johnston’s Parks and Recreation director, told reporters at The Hill. “Knowing the virus is an astrovirus, it’s something that sticks to surfaces. So, we’re going to make sure that the entire aquatic center area here with the splash pad is disinfected, including the concrete floor and the restrooms adjacent to it.”
Perhaps the opposite problem took place in Houston, where 12 people (including seven children) had to be admitted to a local E.R. for chemical exposure due to an apparent over-chlorination of a lazy river pool, authorities said. Houston fire officials responded to the call, according to CNN affiliate KHOU, and evaluated the situation.
Symptoms of exposure to over-chlorination are nausea, skin and eye irritation or asthma symptoms.
Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña said in a Twitter update that the incident was under control.
It’s not just aquatics facilities where water contamination can impact users, however. Athletic Business reports that in Ohio, officials detected Legionella in Kettering City Schools' Roush Stadium following a rash of sickness among student-athletes. (The fieldhouse was closed by officials when symptoms began occurring, and will remain closed until the situation is resolved).
According to Dayton Daily News, a Kettering Fairmont High School custodian died of Legionnaires’ disease in 2019.
In Stephensville, Texas, meanwhile, the news was much more dire, as authorities reported a four-year-old child had died at Splashville, a local water park. The park was closed the following day for investigation; by that night, however, an initial report indicated no foul play.
"At this time, all indicators are that this is a tragic accident," said police in a statement on social media. (The water park’s social media accounts immediately filled with dozens of comments from the public as well.)
Compared to the death of a child at a water facility (or even to individuals becoming sick at them), the concept of a swimming pool losing water could seem rather minor; however, as a Minnesota recreation department official noted, a pool that loses more than 10,000 gallons per day is a serious situation indeed.
The local NBC affiliate in Crystal reported that the main pool at the Crystal Cove Aquatic Center was losing a lot “about 18,000 gallons per day,” according to Crystal Recreation Director John Elholm.
In 2021, Elholm says the city hired a consultant to investigate the water loss at the pool. They discovered a leak in the main pool that needed to be fixed or the pool would need to close. This year, the city committed $3 million to having the pool fixed, and state lawmakers also approved $2.35 million in a bonding bill. The pool will remain open this summer and work is expected to start at an undisclosed point next year.
According to Elholm, between 400 and 600 children receive swimming lessons at the pool every year and most of them do not live in the immediate Crystal area.
"Our lessons draw from all over this area. Over 60 percent of our use comes from outside of Crystal,” Elholm said, noting this served as justification for getting the additional $2.35 million from the state legislature.
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