Guidelines for Public Pool/Spa Operators During a Boil Water Advisory

NOTE: These guidelines have been designed for generic use in a boil water advisory. Please contzct your local Health Unit regarding information for the particular circumstances of a specific boil water event.
`
The information and guidelines below are provided to all Class "A" and Class "B" public pool and all public spa operators further to the boil water advisory issued by the Medical officer of health.

1. Chlorine and bromine are widely used disinfectants in pools and spas.
2. Ensure normal chlorine levels of not less than 0.5 ppm or normal bromine levels of more than 2.0 ppm are maintained in all pools. Ensure normal chlorine or bromine levels of between 5 - 10 ppm are maintained in all spas. Maintenance of pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids in their desirable ranges is also essential to assure adequate disinfection and bather comfort. Refer to Ontario Regulation, Public Pools, if you are unsure what these ranges are or call your local health inspector for assistance.
3. Ensure drinking water fountains around pools or spas are shut off. Bottled or substitute drinking water should be made available to all bathers.
4. Bathers are to be advised that they should be careful not to ingest pool or spa water. A posted sign is recommended.
5. Special attention must also be made to ensure all bathers are showering (i.e. with warm water and soap) prior to entering the pool or spa.
6. Should a "pool fouling accident" (i.e. vomit/stool in pool) occur, staff should:
   • Clear the pool or spa:
     
   • Close the pool or spa immediately:
     
   • Stop the recirculation pump:
     
   • Remove any solid particles with a dipper screen. Disinfect the dipper screen;
     
   • Vacuum any waste products not picked up the dipper screen directly to the sanitary sewer, not back to the filter;
     
   • Superchlorinate the pool or spa to a minimum free available chlorine (FAC) level of 2mg/L for formed stool (solid, nonliquid) and 20mg/L for Diarrhea (liquid stool). (See MMWR May 25, 2001/ 50(20); 416-417: Notice to readers: Responding to Fecal Accidents in Disinfected Swimming Venues)
     
   • Restart the circulation pump after superchlorination, and re-open the pool or spa only when chemical levels return to normal
     
     If the above mentioned cleaning procedures can not be carried out effectively or the stool/vomit is widely dispersed in the pool or spa, the following procedure must be used:
   • Drain the pool or spa;
     
   • Steam clean pool or spa basin, decks and gutters;
     
   • Refill the pool or spa and superchlorinate the recirculation and filtration systems to a level of 20 ppm free available chlorine (FAC), keeping the pH between 7.0 and 7.2 during the procedure; and
7. Re-open the pool or spa records. Time, location and action should be noted.
8. Babies, very small children and bathers who do not have control of their bowels should wear appropriate clothing to prevent faecal discharge into the pool or spa.

Please contact your local health inspectors if you need to discuss these guidelines.

From the Protocol for the Investigation and Control of Cryptosporidium and Giardia Waterborne Outbreaks, 1997, modified with data from the Centres for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 25, 2001.