Staying Afloat: An Industry Perspective On Managing Cryptosporidium Out Breaks 26 th November, 2015 Shane Ince Aquatics Information

Pool Operators, in most cases, have no idea until the EHO contacts them with the bad news Leading up to that contact, SA Health have investigated the Crypto report and decided that a pool may have been involved The suspected swimming pool or spa will then need to carry out a decontamination procedure

The South Australian Health Department Public Health Fact Sheet # 603 advises the following 1.Determine a target Free Chlorine level and time combination to achieve the CT (Concentration x Time) 2.Raise the Free Chlorine level to achieve the CT value and maintain pH at 7.5 or less 3.Continue to operate the pumps and filtration systems, remembering to isolate the automatic controller probes if possible, during the whole time 4.The concentration of free chlorine and pH will need to be checked manually and recorded at the beginning, during (at least hourly) and at the completion of the process. This is to ensure the minimum CT value is achieved. 5.Backwash the filter after reaching the CT inactivation time ensuring the effluent is discharged directly to sewer. 6.Before the pool can re-open ensure the Total Concentration is below 10 mg/L 7.Record the incident, action taken and test results in the pool log books.

Free Chlorine Concentration Time (Minutes / Hours)CT (15,300) 15 mg/L1020 minutes / 17 hours15, mg/L765 minutes / hours15,300 What Does This Mean To The Pool and Spa Operator 1.Determine a target Free Chlorine level and time combination to achieve the CT (Concentration x Time) of 15,300 or higher. 2.Raise the Free Chlorine level to achieve the CT value and maintain pH at 7.5 or less *CDC recommends raising the Chlorine to 20 mg/L for hours

Pool Volume (litres)Liquid Chlorine (Approx Litres) Liquid Acid (Approx Litres) 75, , , ,500, Do I have enough Chlorine on site? Do I have enough Acid on site? If not how quickly can I get the chemicals? How long will I need to close the pool, including treatment time? How much of the program will be disrupted? Which user groups will need to be contacted? What Does This Mean To The Pool and Spa Operator Free Chlorine Concentration Time (Minutes / Hours)CT (15,300) 15 mg/L1020 minutes / 17 hours15, mg/L765 minutes / hours15,300

3.Continue to operate the pumps and filtration systems, remembering to isolate the automatic controller probes if possible, during the whole time. 4.The concentration of free chlorine and pH will need to be checked manually and recorded at the beginning, during (at least hourly) and at the completion of the process. This is to ensure the minimum CT value is achieved. What Does This Mean To The Pool and Spa Operator Do I have a record sheet to cover my readings or will I need to design one? How many staff will I need to monitor levels? Do I have enough staff to make sure the tests are carried out and recorded? Staff to monitor water manually during the whole process for at least hours or 17 hours. Normally this would accrue overtime hours for staff.

4.Backwash the filter after reaching the CT inactivation time ensuring the effluent is discharged directly to sewer. Do I have the option of putting my backwash water straight to sewer? If not what am I going to do with it? Do I have enough water to backwash ? What Does This Mean To The Pool and Spa Operator

5.Before the pool can re-open ensure the Total Concentration is below 10 mg/L How much Sodium Thiosulpahte will I use to lower the Chlorine level to below 10? How long will this take? Do I have enough of Sodium Thiosulfate ? If not where can I get it an how long will it take to get some? What else will I need to add to the pool? What Does This Mean To The Pool and Spa Operator Pool Volume (litres)Sodium Thiosulpahte (Grams / Kg) 75,0001,770 / ,0004,740 / ,00017,770 / ,500,00035,540 / 35.54

6.Record the incident, action taken and test results in the pool log books. What Does This Mean To The Pool and Spa Operator

No. A diarrheal faecal incident is a higher-risk event than a formed-stool incident. With most diarrheal illnesses, the number of infectious germs found in each bowel movement decreases as the diarrhea stops and the person’s bowel movements return to normal. Therefore, a formed stool is probably less of a risk than a diarrheal incident that you may not see. Should All Faecal Incidents Be Treated The Same?

A formed stool may contain no germs, a few, or many that can cause illness. You won’t know. The germs that may be present are less likely to be released into the pool because they are mostly contained within the stool. However, formed stool also protects germs inside from being exposed to the chlorine in the pool, so prompt removal is necessary. Research suggests that formed faecal incidents pose only a very small Crypto threat but should be treated as a risk for spreading other germs (such as Giardia). Should All Faecal Incidents Be Treated The Same?

1.Immediately direct all patrons to exit the pool, if any other pools share the same filtration system, patrons must also exit those pools. 2.Remove the stool from the pool using a fine mesh scoop or bucket and dispose of faecal matter in a toilet. 3.Based on the free chlorine level of the pool, determine the time necessary to kill Giardia Formed stool response Free Chlorine Concentration Time (Minutes / Hours)CT (45) 2 mg/L25 minutes45 3 mg/L19 minutes45

4.Test the water to confirm that the free chlorine level is being achieved, and if not make corrections as necessary. 5.Allow patrons to return to the pool only after the determined time period has elapsed. 6.Record the incident, action taken and test results in the pool log books. Formed stool response

Aquatics Information - Provides certified Pool Operator Training through National Swimming Pool Foundation Consulting work for Public Pool Operators Advise for South Australian Health Department - Environmental Health and Local EHO's Assessor for Traxion Training - Cert III and IV Pool and Spa Technician Course Assessor for SPASA NSW and ACT - Cert III and IV Pool and Spa Technician Course Mission Development Representative Australia and New Zealand - National Swimming Pool Foundation

Any Questions? And, THANKS!