Swimming Pools Are Being Closed Once A Week In Name of Water Quality And Fighting Cryptosporidium
Last season's cryptosporidium outbreak across North Texas means there are going to be some changes at the local swimming pool this summer.
Like its bigger city neighbors of Dallas and Fort Worth, the City of Arlington, TX is going to fight cryptosporidium with a rotating one day a week closure of its swimming pools during the 2009 season.
The Arlington Star Telegram reports that:
Starting June 6, all six of Arlington’s outdoor pools and water parks will be closed one day a week for maintenance and cleaning. On any given day from Monday through Wednesday, only four pools will be open. But all will be open Thursday through Sunday, the peak swimming days.
The new schedule aims to improve water quality, provide time off for employees and save the city money on operating expenses, Parks Assistant Director Bill Gilmore said.
"All pools need a chance to refresh themselves," he said. "We don’t believe anybody will suffer, because there are other options."
Also In response to the Cryptosporidium outbreak last summer, the Texas city is installing signs at its public water parks and pools urging people not to swim if they have diarrhea. Crypto is a chlorine-resistant parasite that, if ingested, can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and fever for up to two weeks. It is found in feces and is usually spread through water.
A few more details can be found here.
