Colorado City Keeps Water Off Until It Can Comply With Swimming Pool Regulations At New Public Fountain
The City of Arvada, the 100,000 plus suburb that fills in much of the space between Denver and Boulder counties in Colorado, boasts an "Olde Town" dating back to 1870. Its been the subject of an intense urban renewal focus in recent years that has brought office, retail, and housing investment to the area.
The Olde Town Plaza includes a new water fountain in a space adjacent to a new Jefferson County Public Library. On its website, the city recently announced that fountain "will remain off until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience."
However, in the letter to Olde Town's merchants, the city explained the situation. "Public health officials have increased standards for "interactive fountains," which unfortunately, the Old Town fountain does not meet." The letter said that with a holding tank of only 1,500 gallons and the extensive human contact with the fountain, it "has become a de facto swimming pool" with risk to public health and safety. Risk from E. coli and Cryptosporidium were specifically mentioned as "potentially fatal" water borne diseases that concern the city.
In the letter, Arvada said other Colorado cities were having similar concerns for their water features.
Arvada is estimating it might cost $700,000 to add a proper filtration system, showers and rest rooms to the outdoor public space. The Colorado Department of Health regulations Arvada is applying can be found here.
It is worth noting, the regulations are not new, but there application is. It is just another example of how health department in the West are looking for ways to fight Crypto before it again overcomes them.
cryptosporidium outbreaks, there is reportedly no evidence of such a connection here. None of the ill individuals had public pool exposures. Officials are still investigating to possible source of the cluster of illnesses.