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Spa Pools etc
Spa Pools
I have owned a spa pool in my garden for over 6 years and I have never had reason to suspect that it is going to kill me. This is perhaps due to the fact I am a fanatic on how to operate, maintain, monitor, periodically test for bacterial content as well as legionella and record all my actions all for the love of my family and my self preservation not to mention my guests who love to get in my human soup!
I have a logbook to die for (pardon the pun) in case any surprises that may be around the corner. I do know certain people (no incrimination at this stage) that think I am a bit of a laugh and the extremes I go to but they will be the ones one day to suffer, not me. I have included some information on the sub pages to bring home to all people involved with these types of systems how dangerous they can be when not looked after correctly and guidance from around the world.
Dr Susanne Surman-Lee of the UK Health Protection Agency has written many articles on this subject and part of an article she has written (which is on this page as an attachment named “could you cause a legionnaires' outbreak”) is quoted below.
For the past 10 years, a large percentage of my time has been spent on investigating and advising on problems associated with spa pools, including the hot tub variety found in domestic premises. My interest began while investigating a hot tub which caused an outbreak of pseudomonas folliculitis in one adult and four children who had used their grandparents' new hot tub. This tub, which had been owned for only 13 days, had been purchased from a garden centre where it had been on display, and was installed by the supplier. The owner, a former microbiology technician, had followed the cleaning and disinfection regime – which included silver ionisation with sodium persulphate, ozone and chlorine – very carefully and as specified by the American manufacturers.The day after using the hot tub, the children developed a rash which was eventually diagnosed as pseudomonas folliculitis. Samples of water revealed not only high numbers of pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.0 x 104-5 .5 x 105 Cfu/100mls ) which matched the patients' strain but also high counts of legionella (2.9 x 105 cfu/litre legionella pneumophila 2-14). Remedial action included emptying the pool and shock dosing following the manufacturer's instructions and resampling which showed an initial drop in pseudomonas counts to 16-45 cfu / 100mls. Twenty-three hours after treatment, however, the levels had risen to 6.1 x 104cfu/100mls and after two days to 3x106 cfu / 100mls. Although Ps.aeruginosa- folliculitis is unpleasant, it is not life-threatening in the normal population. But legionnaires' disease caused by legionella can, and does, cause deaths.