ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (WFLA) – Staying cool on these hot, sweltering days can mean a dip in the pool. But that refreshing plunge can expose you to disease.
Kirby Doran is the parent of two young swimmers. She was unaware of the hazards of pool water. “I don’t know. I mean I try not to think about it. I guess,” she said.
But parents might want to know those red, itchy eyes are not the result of chlorine. Rather, when eyes get red in the pool it’s because of chlorine mixed with urine, sweat and other unmentionables.
The Tampa Bay area has seen outbreaks of Cryptosporidium, and you can get norovirus and E. Coli. Chlorine works great to kill germs cannot always keep up.
It’s a constant battle to keep the water clean at St. Petersburg’s public pools. At the North Shore pool, a computer and employees constantly monitor chemicals. “You bring a lot of things in when you come to swim, unfortunately, and that’s what we deal with in sanitation is making sure that those things are eradicated and the pool is as clean as can be,” said Bryan Eichler from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Parents are encouraged to have kids shower, stay out of the pool when sick and use a bathroom. “My kids are in swim lessons here every summer, and we’ve never had any concerns,” parent Mariana Kind said.
Little ones must wear rubber pants and a swim diaper, but accidents can happen. “If it’s unsafe, if it’s not healthy … we will shut the pool down and we’ll super chlorinate 24 hours,” Eichler said.
