Public Pools Scare Me

[tnthudson]

Hey everyone,
I was on vacation, then got hammered when I got back to work (should be working right now but had to get away for a second), but I've been wanting to post this since I got back...Sean or Jason, please move this if you want, I couldn't figure out where to put it.
I went to the beach, a very very popular East Coast place, and saw the pool guy at our condo testing the water...so I started chit-chatting with him...he was a nice guy, but turns out he was the head of maintenance at this condo (big place w/lazy river, etc.)
He seemed to have a handle on some chemistry, but relied heavily on his Taylor booklet and didn't seem to know some of the basic things I've picked up on here, and I'm no expert by any means. He told me he always passes the state inspections that they do for public pools, but alot of places in that area get shut down/suspended because they don't know what they're doing - WOW - and then I remembered the hotel pool in my hometown where a kid almost drowned last summer because they couldn't see the bottom OF AN 8' POOL to help him out
By the way, he says that the state (where this condo is located) is moving the requirements from 6 to 10 (if I heard him right, I'm assuming 10 ppm CL?) for next season...that seems scary to me.
Anyway, it made me appreciate this forum even more than I already do, and I did give him the address here, in case he wanted to get some more learnin' (as we say in VA)...nice guy with a good attitude, so I hope he checks us out.
Anyway, public pools scare me even more now, so I'm going home tonight and kiss my water. :lol:

 

[JohnT]

Me too! It was easier when I didn't know any better.

 

[krcossin]

I've been so tempted to bring my test kit with me on vacation. Wife never allows it to happen most likely because the results might not be in the families best interest.

I would like to see the test results publicly posted to know what we are subjecting our bodies to. We have regulations on food labeling, why not public pools?

For me personally, I won't let my family in any pool that I can't see the bottom of, ever.

 

[giulietta1]

I was on vacation recently and the ranch pool (a lovely indoor pool at a guest ranch) was chlorinated with tablets. I knew this b/c I peeked into the equipment room and saw buckets of chlorine tablets. AAARrrrgh!

In that dry climate (West Texas) I'd be willing to be that the pool isn't partially or fully drained on a regular basis to knock down the CYA level. I wouldn't have gone near that pool if it hadn't been so hot. . .

AND when we first got there, the pump wasn't running!

 

[sefrlw]

I never thought about it. Some of the pools I have let my kids get into really scare me now that I have read this forum. Taking the test kit in the future for sure now, no matter how clear the water is.

 

[launboy]

Next time we go to one of our outdoor pools, I'm going to bring some stuff with me and test the water. I'll still swim even if they aren't good, but I'd just like to know. The pool is outdoor and has a 12 foot deep end for the diving board and I can always see the bottom, so I guess that's good.

Adam

 

[Diffenbaughmom]

We went to Chincoteague Virginia this weekend for the Pony swim. Our campground that we have a place in has a pool. Of course I had just read this thread before I left. I took my daughter to the pool and I thought to myself, " I wonder if I could just sneak in here tonight and add a couple gallons " I will never be able to look at a pool the same again.