Infection warning for public pools

Local authorities in the Republic may have to consider the "real possibility" of an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis from polluted public swimming pools and water theme parks, a conference in Athlone heard yesterday.

The conference organised by Engineers Ireland heard that owners and operators of swimming pools and public baths should seriously consider treating the water with ultra violet (UV) light, a method widely in use in the United States and now being installed to fight cryptosporidium contamination of drinking water supplies in Galway.

The conference, Cryptosporidium - Causes, Prevention and Solutions, heard that bad planning and poor infrastructure may have contributed to the Galway outbreak.

Richard Martin, a manager with National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International in the US, said the incidence of cryptosporidium in drinking water may be related to the overstressing of the water treatment infrastructure in areas of rapid development.

Cryptosporidium may also occur in drinking water when the surface water, or the ground water under its influence, suffers contamination.

Mr Martin said water contamination was increasing as a result of problems with waste and drinking water treatment infrastructure. Extreme weather incidents and peculiarities of regional geology, such as the presence of karst limestone, also contributed to the deterioration of supplies.

Mr Martin addressed water treatment products and validation techniques and concluded that UV technology was an effective means of protection from the cryptosporidium bug. UV technology is being installed in Galway to combat its polluted water.

Tony Leigh of UK company ATG Willand said following a cryptosporidium outbreak in 2005 at a children's water park in New York, 1,000 children became seriously ill. Since then, UV technology had become a big part of water purification, drinking and recreational.

Mr Leigh said chlorine had been used in pools and play areas as well as drinking supplies and while "it would kill contamination, it is not good for people either". UV light, on the other hand, would do no harm.