Pool Company Concerned with Proposed Testing Change
Posted
Staff Report-
SYRACUSE – A director at a Syracuse pool supply company is concerned over proposed state legislation that he says endangers swimmers’ health. Marc Yoder, director of the commercial pool division of Leisure Pool and Spa Supply in Syracuse, said in a release Monday that the company “strongly disagrees and is frankly disappointed with” the idea of changing the Indiana Public and Semi-Public Swimming Pool Rule Code to require tests monthly instead of weekly. The State Department of Health is planning a hearing this fall on the rule change, which was proposed by State Senator Scott Schneider at the request of an Indianapolis condominium association that said it could not afford weekly testing. “I can’t imagine why Senator Schneider would support this rule change and put families and their kids’ health at risk,” Yoder said in the release. “At most the facilities would save $50 to $75 a month. Is putting the public’s health and safety in jeopardy really worth it?” Public and semi-public pools are currently required to test weekly for bacteria like E. coli, coliform and hetertrophic plate count, and to correct any problems they find with increased chlorination, according to the release. The public expects and assumes that their local public pool is a safe and healthy environment, Yoder said, and weekly tests are a proactive check. He added that decreased testing increases the risk of waterborne illness. “The most contaminated part of the pool is the top three inches,” he noted. “What’s the first thing kids do when they jump in? They grab a mouthful of water and spout it at each other.” Yoder said he encourages anyone concerned with the proposed change to contact their local congressmen and the state Board of Health’s Environmental Division.
