It’s a scene reminiscent of the movie “Caddyshack,” but in this case, it wasn’t a Baby Ruth bar spotted floating in the clear water, causing swimmers to panic.
Hamilton County’s public health director Shelby Kroona has a reminder for parents everywhere in Iowa to keep their kids home if they’re sick, especially from public swimming pools.
“We’ve had two pools in Hamilton County that have had poop in the pool,” Kroona says. “Please remember, if your children are ill, do not send them to the pool. Oftentimes, there’s bacteria or viruses in that poop and it can spread to other people through the water.”
She says the risk of making someone else sick isn’t the only problem with the situation. “It also causes a lot of issues for the pool owners and operators because they then have to disinfect their entire pool,” Kroona says. “Just like absolutely any other time of the year, if your kid has a fever, diarrhea, illness, be conscious of where you send them.”
The Iowa Department of Public Health says there are about 1,300 pools, more than 420 spas, 260 wading pools, and 260 water slides at about 1,260 locations statewide that are inspected every year.
(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)
