As we enter the last few weeks of the summer vacation period and as the number of guests increases and the temperature rises, it’s more important than ever to ensure your resort or hotel’s swimming pool is clean, hygienic, and safe.
Proper pool maintenance is essential if your property depends heavily on your swimming pool’s cleanliness and pristine appearance. Hundreds of people may enjoy your pools daily, so enforcing a rigorous maintenance plan to keep the pool tidy and risk-free is essential.
An unhygienic pool can lead to several waterborne illnesses and impact revenue if guests become unwell.
Due to the inherent hygiene concerns, it is usual practice to add chemicals (chlorine or bromine) to swimming pools; nevertheless, these chemicals should be used sparingly to ensure that they do not impact hotel guests. Keeping the amount of chlorine in a pool between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million is essential so the water can be considered clean and safe for swimming.
To properly maintain your pool, you will require a wide variety of equipment, determined by the dimensions of your swimming area.
Most properties will have automatic cleaners installed; however, in addition to these, they will also require skim nets to remove material from the surface, pool brushes to keep the area around the pool clean, and other specialised pieces of equipment.
Various skimmers, brushes, and other attachments can be secured to telescopic poles so they can extend over the pool. Because pool vacuums (which are already equipped with leaf traps) may be attached to these poles, purchasing them is an intelligent investment decision.
Kits for liquid analysis can be utilised regularly to test the pH and alkalinity levels of the pool water.
The most important aspect of maintaining a pool is to give preventative maintenance a higher priority than corrective maintenance and to undertake routine checks of the pool’s chlorine levels, pH levels, water level, and temperature.
Additionally, staff should perform maintenance on your pool at least once each week, which includes washing the waterline, vacuuming and brushing the pool to eliminate dirt and debris, and brushing the sides of the pool.
In the meantime, once a month, staff should check the water filters to ensure they haven’t become clogged and conduct a more comprehensive study of bacteria.
The maintenance of your swimming pool’s water should include cleaning the pool deck and walkways at least once daily. This will help keep contaminants from entering your pool or spa water.
In addition, cleaning a swimming pool daily will keep the water quality at an acceptable level and rid the pool of non-enteric waterborne illnesses.
These microorganisms can cause waterborne diseases found in poorly maintained swimming pools and spas. Regular inspections of the equipment in your swimming pool and the water quality are recommended in light of the potential dangers they pose to your health. This is something that staff should do daily.
The following non-gastrointestinal illnesses are frequently diagnosed in swimming pools that are not maintained properly:
The organism known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterial infection that can cause sickness in the respiratory tract in susceptible individuals. In addition, it can cause rashes and disorders of the body’s sensitive tissues.
Pathogens belonging to the genus Pseudomonas are frequently discovered within biofilms in the circulation system of swimming pools and spas. This disease is resistant to antibiotics and can survive in various environmental circumstances.
Symptoms associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa include:
- Skin that is itchy and uncomfortable to the touch.
- Rashes that are crimson in color and have bumpy appearances.
- Blisters filled with pus that form around hair follicles, often on your scalp.
Other non-enteric pathogens that can incur if the circulation system of the pool or spa is not maintained include:
- Mycobacterium spp.
- Staphylococius aureus.
- Leptospira interrogans.
- Trichophyton spp.
- Epidmerophyton floccosum – causes dermic or respiratory infections.
- Acanthamoeba spp.
- Human papilloma virus.
- Legionella pneumophila. Commonly referred to as legionellosis or legionnaires disease, this is a severe case of pneumonia. This bacterium exists in poorly maintained spas and is transmitted through the mist in this type of environment. Legionella pneumophila causes both legionnaires disease and Pontiac fever. Proper disinfectant levels and frequent filter maintenance are critical steps necessary to control these bacteria.
- Molluscipox virus. This virus causes molluscum contogiosum, a common skin infection that can take several months to clear.
- Verrucas. Commonly known as plantar warts, this waterborne illness is acquired through direct contact with pool decks and locker room floors which have been contaminated. Contamination is usually caused by skin fragments from other users infected with causative papliomavirus. Preventing plantar warts is achieved through regular cleaning and maintenance of your swimming pool decks and locker room floors.
- Athlete’s foot. This ringworm infection caused by dermatophyte fungi causes a very itchy scale between the toes. Athlete’s foot is contracted in the same manner as plantar warts. Guests with severe cases should not be allowed to use your amenities.
Do you have any industry news or insights that you’d like to share? Send us your press releases, survey results, news, and articles, and we will publish them here on the IHS website. Just complete the contact form and get in touch.