Water Quality Surveys

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Water Quality Surveys

• November 2627, 2007Rosen CentreOrlando, FL
• Stanley R. Pickens, Ph.D.
• PPG Industries, Inc.

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Water Quality
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Impact of Amines, Bather Waste

• PRECURSORS
• BATHER WASTE
• NATURAL DEBRIS
• DIRT
• URINE
• FECES
• Etc.

CHLORINE

• DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS
• CHLORAMINES (COMBINED CHLORINE)
• CHLORINATED ORGANICS,
• Etc.

• Odors,
• Irritation,
• Corrosion (out of water)
• Asthma?

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Control Points for Water/Air Quality

• Physical controls, including
• Residual Sanitizer (chlorine)
• Filtration, recirculation
• Supplementary sanitizer
• Ancillary clarifiers, algaecides, etc.

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Control Points for Water/Air Quality

• Physical (and chemical) controls
• Human factors
• Showers
• Urine and Fecal Release
• Swimming While Ill
• Drinking the Water

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Participants in the surveys
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The Patrons Polled

• Over 1,000 waterpark visitors who
• Went to waterparks at least once or twice a year.
• Had children (or grandchildren) under 15 years
  old.

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Waterpark Operators Polled

• 46 Waterpark operators responded
• 9 Additional respondents from facilities
  containing a recreational water body, but not a
  full water park were filtered out of the results
  reported in this presentation.
• 2/3 were outdoor.
• Thanks to Aquatics International for conducting
  the waterpark operator poll and making the
  results available to us.

Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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showers
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How many patrons shower before entering
recreational water?
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
11
Use of Soap

• When showering at the park (before entering the
  water), do you use soap?

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Policies and Enforcement

• Do you have a policy that requires patrons to
  shower before entering the pool?

• Do you require patrons to shower?

Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Hygiene showering with soap

• More bathers could be persuaded to shower with
  soap if waterparks provided soap, privacy,
  signage

• Other included
• Not required,
• didnt know,
• never thought of it,
• always did,
• showered at home,
• no formal showers
• etc.

Why they dont shower with soap before entering
recreational water
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
14
Showers in a Locker Room for patrons
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
15
Park Provides Soap at Showers?
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
16
Restroomsvs.release into pool
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Kids urinate in the water.

• My children might become so involved in water
  activities that they end up urinating in the
  water instead of going to a restroom.

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Kids urinate in the water.

• Patrons aware of other kids urinating in the
  water

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Difficulty of Maintaining Sanitizing PowerSweat
and Urine introduce chlorine demand
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Kids urinating in the water

• Parents think their kids would be more likely to
  use the restroom if
• Restrooms were more conveniently located. (89)
• The park had mandatory restroom breaks. (73)

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Fecal response
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Fecal Release Response
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Reasons for Facility Shutdowns
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Were the shutdowns voluntary?
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Water Quality Attitudes

• 8 had had a visit to a waterpark cancelled or
  interrupted due to a water quality issue.
• Of these, 99 prefer to have the features closed
  when water quality issues arise.

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Swimming while ill
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Views on Diarrheal Infectivity
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey.
28
Are park personnel allowed to re-enter the water
within two weeks after diarrhea?
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Diapers
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Diaper Changes on Deck, Patron Observations
Allowing parent to keep an eye on older
children while changing the diaper.
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Incompatible uses of pool or spray pad water
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Spray pads
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Water Bottle Filling at Spray Pads
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Public Perceptions of Water at Spray Features
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
35
How the water park is plumbed.Shared water ?
cross contamination
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
36
Spraygrounds Have Separate Water Treatment Systems
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
37
Indirect effects of poor water qualityAir
quality
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Air Quality Concerns

• 26 of respondents had noticed an unpleasant
  chemical odor at a waterpark.
• This had a moderate impact on their experience
  the park

PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
39
Complaints of bad air quality odors irritation
to eyes, noses, or throats?
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
40
Park Personnel Became Ill from Working in the
Waterpark?
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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What type of illness did your personnel suffer
from?
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Indirect effects of poor water qualityout-of-wat
er corrosion
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Corrosion Effects Observed by Patrons
PPG July 2007 survey of gt1,000 waterpark patrons.
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Parks Had Corrosion Due to Attributed to Poor Air
Quality
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Corrosion Observed by Operators
Aquatics International Sept. 2007 survey, using
Survey Monkey.
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Areas for Immediate Action

• Showers
• Privacy, soap, policies/communication
• Restrooms
• Locations, breaks
• Fecal Response
• A response policy is necessary, but not
  sufficient.
• Swimming while ill.
• Policies, communication

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Areas for Action

• Diapers
• Policies, communication, changing areas
• Spray pads
• Communication, plumbing and treatment
• Drinking the water signage and other
  communication to discourage this practice
• Air Quality (especially indoor parks)
• Ventilation, water quality, spray feature
  consideration