CDC: 1 in 8 Pools May Pose Infection Risk

May 22, 2010— -- Before plunging into your local public pool, you might want to stop and think about what you might be plunging into. The pool might not be as sanitary as it should be, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers found that one out of eight pools had to be closed immediately for serious code violations.

The report, published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report this week, analyzed data from more than 121,000 routine pool inspections in 13 states in 2008. More than 12 percent of the inspections found serious violations that caused the pools to close immediately.

Violations included an inadequate level of chlorine in the pool and an improper pH level of the water, both of which can lead to transmitting disease-causing germs.

The researchers examined data from inspections of pools in child care facilities, residential complexes, hotels and motels, kiddie/wading pools and interactive fountains.

"Pools in child care settings had the highest percentage of inspections that resulted in immediate closures," said Michele Hlavsa, an epidemiologist at the CDC and head of its Healthy Swimming Program.

Hlavsa's team also found that kiddie/wading pools and interactive fountains had the highest percentage of disinfectant violations.

The fact that around 13 percent of pool inspections violated safety standards didn't come as a surprise to at least one infectious disease specialist.

"It's not easy to keep pools, especially outdoor pools, within compliance," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University. "They must be checked frequently."