Spraypark opening delayed
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
By CRAIG FOX
Finger Lakes Times
GENEVA - It's going to be a few more weeks before the spraypark at Seneca Lake State Park reopens.
It's taking state Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation work crews longer than expected to install new filtration and ultraviolet systems designed to prevent a recurrence of last summer's gastrointestinal outbreak.
The delay is being caused by a few engineering changes to the new systems and getting the state Health Department to sign off on the changes, Gibson said.
The Health Department must also test "every piece of new equipment" in the system and make sure they work properly before the park reopens, Gibson said.
"We're taking it day by day," Gibson said.
The equipment is required under a set of state Health Department regulations put into place after several thousand park visitors became sick last summer.
The Health Department determined the illness was cryptosporidius, caused by a microscopic parasite and spread through human feces. The sprayground was closed in mid-August.
The improvements -- designed to deactivate any micro-bacterial organisms that form in the sprayground's water supply -- began in March and were expected to be completed by early this month.
But state parks spokeswoman Wendy Gibson said this morning the hope now is to get the spraypark open by the end of the month.
Health Department officials determined the problem was with two filtration system pumps that recycle water. The new ultraviolet system will either kill the micro-organisms or stop them from reproducing.
The spraypark will also be getting a new water filtration system that can filter more water per minute; it's being installed in a small brick building under construction at the site.
It'll be the first spraypark using an ultraviolet system in the state, Gibson said, adding that "it's been a learning process for us."
No other work will be done on the spraypark itself; all the spray gadgets and the existing rubber surface will remain as is, Gibson said.
The cost of the project wasn't available this morning.
In January, the state Health Department drafted regulations to ensure safety at water parks. The facility normally opens for the Memorial Day weekend.
The new regulations are specific to sprayparks that recycle water but not parks that use only fresh water in their filtration systems.
All splash and sprayparks are required to obtain permits from county health departments.
Signs have to be posted telling those with diarrhea to keep out of the water, and the area has to be fenced to keep animals out.
A class action lawsuit representing 663 people who became ill after visiting the spraypark has been filed against the state Parks Department. The lawsuit seeks compensation for damages, including pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages.
cfox@fltimes.com
