Chlorine, bacteria: better not to drink the cup in the swimming pool!
It is the flagship activity in the summer season! But are public pools really clean? Despite health standards that require a sufficient chlorine level to kill all bacteria, contaminations remain.
Hotels, nautical centers or municipal pools ... swimming pools are in the crosshairs of health authorities. Water cleanliness checks recently revealed the presence of bacteria in swimming pools. Even if the water is treated, germs are resistant to chlorine. Another problem: this chemical agent can be harmful to health .
Pathogenic bacteria in the water of public swimming pools?
According to a study published by the American Center for Disease Prevention, 8 deaths and more than 27,000 users of municipal swimming pools were contaminated with bacteria. Between 2000 and 2014, health authorities in 46 states in the United States and Puerto Rico alerted to the presence of pathogenic germs in swimming pools treated with chlorine. The analyzes of the American researchers revealed 89% of infections by the bacterium Cryptosporidium, 4% by the Pseudomonas - at the origin of otitis interna - and 3% by the bacterium Legionella, which caused 6 deaths out of the 8 listed.
Contaminated swimming pools: recent cases in France
From Caen to Saint-Paulien (Haute-Loire), bacteria continue to proliferate in swimming pools. On June 5, 2018, the results of the analyzes of the water quality of the Caen swimming pool were final . The conclusions of this bacteriological episode reveal the presence of staphylococci in the swimming pool . The water in the indoor sports pool of the Caen nautical stadium was deemed “ non-compliant with the quality limits ”, thus raising many questions about the dangers.
In Saint-Paulien, health checks revealed the presence of Legionella in the Portes du Bien-être swimming pool on Wednesday June 20 . Originally: an old water heater with a too high temperature in the showers of the swimming pool, a simple “technical problem ”according to Laurent Duplomb, senator and former mayor of Saint-Paulien. If no case of legionellosis has been reported by users, the infection has been reported to the Regional Health Agency (ARS) to avoid any risk of proliferation. Closed until further notice, the public establishment will not be open to the public until the ARS has given the green light . Subscribers will however be able to go to the other swimming pools of the Puy agglomeration community.
Hotel swimming pools: also places at risk?
While hotels advocate guest comfort, their facilities are not without blame! According to a recent study by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hotel swimming pools are infected with bacteria. The organization revealed that these pools are the cause of a third of the diseases that occurred on swimmers between 2010 and 2014. In question? The Cryptosporidium parasite and Pseudomonas and Legionella bacteria. While the former can cause gastrointestinal upset, Pseudomonas and Legionella are resistant to cleaning products and can cause respiratory problems and skin disease.
"By swallowing just a little water contaminated with the Cryptosporidium bacteria, children or adults can get sick for weeks: diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting", warns Michele Hlavsa, MPH and director of the Healthy Swimming Program at within the CDC.
The CDC therefore advises hotels to better adapt their swimming pool cleaning procedures "in order to prevent diseases linked to these bacteria" .
The effects of chlorine on health
The most effective solution for treating swimming pool water and keeping it clean, chlorine has a disinfectant and oxidizing action. However, this treatment does not protect against all bacteria present in the water and can cause minor inconvenience to swimmers. Chlorine can cause skin irritation. But according to Ana Duarte, an American dermatologist interviewed by the American site LiveScience, " the doses used in swimming pools are not a source of concern most of the time" . Its action dries out the skin and hair which can turn greenish if the treatment doses are not respected. The dermatologist warns, however, about the harmful effects of this chemical agent which can "release vapors which may increase the risk of asthma "
Not surprisingly for swimming pool enthusiasts, this chemical can also be the cause of stinging or even irritation of the eyes . So think about opting for swimming goggles before taking a dip!
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