NH Dept. of Environmental Services Public Pool and Spa Program

NH Dept. of Environmental Services Public Pool and Spa Program

Tonight s Topics Operational Requirements Circulation System Testing Requirements Water Balance Water Clarity Automated Controllers Salt Chlorine Generators Chloramines Recreational Water Illness Shut it Down

Public Bathing Facility Defined Env-Wq 1102.37 Public bathing facility means.. swimming pools, spas, special recreation pools, and therapy pools at hotels, motels, health facilities, water parks, condominium complexes, apartment complexes, youth recreation camps, public parks, and recreational campgrounds or camping parks as defined in RSA 216-I:1, VII. The term does not include any bathing facility which serves 3 or fewer living units and which is used only by the residents of the living units and their guests.

Circulation Systems Env-Wq 1102.08 Circulation system means the totality of the mechanical components, including but not limited to pumps, hair and lint strainers, filters, valves, gauges, meters, heaters, surface skimmers, inlet/outlet fittings, and chemical feeding devices, that are a part of a system connected to a pool or spa which, when connected to each other by piping, perform as a coordinated system for purposes of maintaining pool or spa water in a clear and sanitary condition.

Circulation Systems What is circulation?? Circuit #1 Filtration/Disinfection Moving water to and from the pool Circuit #2 Pool Envelope Moving water within the pool Circulation Components Inlets Bottom Drains Skimmers

Importance of Inlets Responsible for circulation within the pool Distribute filtered, disinfected, heated water Direct water to dead spots EYEBALLS Point them to the skimmers right? Up or Down?

Importance of Bottom Drains? Garbage Disposal Conveyance of water Inherently Dangerous

Importance of Skimmers What is a Skimmer? Env-Wq 1102.47 Skimmer means a mechanical device connected to circulation piping for continuous removal of surface water and floating debris from a public bathing facility. Env-Wq 1102.61 Weir means a flap within a skimmer that adjusts automatically to small changes in water level and assures a continuous water flow to the skimmer.

Why are skimmers important Clean Water Clean Water Clean Water Clean Water Clean Water Clean Water Clean Water And.. Clean Water

Contaminant Removal Surface removal of debris Convey dirty water to the pump Largest concentration of contaminants Lighter than water Pollen, leaves and needles, dust, grass, algae, mucous ( Spit n- Snot ), bodily fluids, lotions, oils, etc. Min. of 50/50 More is better! 80% Target

Skimmer s Not Functioning

Skimmer Function IT S ALL ABOUT THE WATER LEVEL Half-way up the skimmer Adequate and equalized flow rate across the skimmer system Trimmer valve and adjustments Properly adjusted pump room valves Weir flaps - Sheeting action over the top Velocity

Testing Requirements *Frequency* What are your patrons wading into? Prior to opening and every 4 hours of operation Free, Total, Combined Chlorine by DPD ph Common Interest Bathing Places 1 time per day IF you utilize automated controller

Water Quality Requirements Env-Wq 1100 Parameter Swimming, Wading, & Receiving Pools Spas / Hot Tubs Free Residual Chlorine (mg/l) 1-5 2-10 Combined Chlorine (mg/l) 0.5 maximum 0.5 maximum Bromine (mg/l) 2-10 2-10 ph (units) 7.0-7.8 7.0-7.8 Temperature ( F) 89 Maximum 104 Maximum Clarity Main Drain(s)/Bottom Clearly Visible Main Drain(s)/Bottom Clearly Visible Total Coliform (CTS/100 ml) 0 0 Escherichia coli ABSENT ABSENT Non-Coliform (CTS/100 ml) < 200 < 200 Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC)(cfu/mL) < 200 < 200

Testing Methods Color Comparators Resolution Reverse Titration FAS-DPD Clear is clear Electronic Calibration Automated Controllers - BTW Not a substitute for physical testing

Pop Quiz! Beyond public health. Why do we test?

Protect the Investment Water Balance The fate of your infrastructure depends on it! Improper chemistry Water Balance ph, Alkalinity, Calcium Corrosive Water Scaling Water Air Handling (indoor pools only) Online calculators Make-up water TEST IT!

Water Clarity

Turbid Water Most Likely Disinfection Filtration Circulation Water imbalance Alkalinity Hardness Total Dissolved Solids Etc..

Turbidity - Life or Death 2011Vietnam Veterans Pool, Fall River MA Turbid H2O, two feet of visibility,12ft depth Water slide and Head Injury- June 25 th Unconscious and drowned bottom of pool June 26 th, 27 th and 28 th. Found by Teens jumping the fence at night Pool Supervisors criminally charged

Automated Controllers

Automated Controllers Measurement of: Waters ability to sanitize ORP (milli-volts) ph Not a measurement of: Free chlorine Interferences on probe readings Cyanuric acid

Salt Water Chlorine Generators

Salt Systems Myths and Realities Set It and Forget It No more chemicals % Desired Output ph control State Regulations

Chloramines (Combined Chlorine) Chlorine + Urine and Sweat = Chloramines Monochloramine, Dichloramine and Trichloramine NH 2 CL NHCL 2 NCL 3 (nitrogen tri-chloride gas) Sources Bathers and Municipal water Formation ph dependent Water & Airborne RWI for humans and facility Testing Challenges Code Limit 0.5 mg/l Mitigation and Abatement methods Bromamines

Chloramines What s That Smell?? Waterborne & Airborne RWI Code limit of 0.5mg/L Rashes - Water Eye Irritation - Water and Air Respiratory - Air

Treatment of Chloramines Mitigation Showering policies & Bathroom accessibility Pre-treatment of make-up water (UV,AC) Air handling - % Fresh Air Shocking????? Ultra-violet system Abatement Switch disinfectants Fill in your pool with cement

Recreational Water Illness Resource-Certified Pool Operator Handbook Escherichia coli & Shigella Cryptosporidium & Giardia Legionella & Mycobacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Contact Time

Escherichia coli & Shigella Example: 0157:H7 Symptoms: Gastrointestinal Illnesses Diarrhea, cramps, fever, nausea, death How is it spread? Fecal accidents Source of Contamination? Birds, animals, humans Remedy? Chlorine - kills quickly

Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia Parasitic Protozoans Gastrointestinal Illnesses Fecal Accidents Chlorine Resistant 10 ppm for 16 hours or 20 ppm for 8 hours

Legionella pneumophila Mycobacterium avium Bacterium in mist Spas aerosolize Bronchial diseases Grows best in warm water Can grow in dead zones

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Swimmers ear, skin rashes, folliculitis Likes Warm Water Very prevalent in the environment Slimy, grows in dead zones Resistant to Chlorine Resistant to Anti-biotics

BIOFILMS Bacterial colonization Protective matrix Difficult to eradicate Corrosion of Metals Bacteria-Metal interface - ph of 1!! Treatment Physical Chemical Natural-Enzymes

Organism Inactivation Time in Chlorinated Water* Organism Time E. coli O157:H7 (bacterium) Less than 1minute Shigella Hepatitis A (virus) 16 minutes Legionella 18 minutes Norwalk and Rotavirus (virus) 30 minutes Giardia (parasite) 45 minutes Mycobacterium (bacterium) 60 minutes Cryptosporidium* Updated from CDC *15,300 minutes (10.6 days) (parasite) * 1ppm (1mg/L) chlorine at ph 7.5 and 77 F (25 C) E.Coli Shigella Crypto Giardia Pseudo Legionella Hep A

Contact Time The CT inactivation value is the concentration (C) of free chlorine in ppm multiplied by time (T) in minutes (CT value = C x T ). The CT value for Giardia is 45 and the CT value for Crypto is 15,300 (both at about ph 7.5, 77 F [25 C]). If you choose to use a different chlorine concentration or inactivation time, you must ensure that the CT values remain the same. For example, to determine the length of time needed to disinfect a pool after a diarrheal accident at 15 ppm, use the following formula: C x T = 15,300. Solve for time: T = 15,300 15 ppm = 1020 minutes or 17 hours. It would take 17 hours to inactivate Crypto at 15 ppm. You can do the same for Giardia by using the CT inactivation value of 45.

Immediate Closure Conditions Are Unsafe For Public Use Outlet cover: unapproved, missing or broken Water Clarity Water Chemistry Disinfectant is extremely low or extremely high ph is very high or very low Loss of circulation - Skimmers Missing equipment- i.e. Disinfection Feed

Submerged Suction Outlet Violations

Water Clarity Violations

Water Chemistry Violations

Loss of Circulation Violation

Missing Equipment Violations

Words of Wisdom STAY OUT OF THE HOT TUBS!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Tim Wilson Public Bathing Places Coordinator NH Department of Environmental Services 29 Hazen Dr, PO Box 95 Concord, NH 03302-0095 Work Phone: 603-271-7108 Cell Phone: 603-419-9230 Fax: 603-271-7894 Email: pools@des.nh.gov