FREQUENT POOL CLOSINGS SPUR ANGER

Author(s):    Matt Viser, Globe Staff Date: August 14, 2005 Page: 1 Section: Globe West

Frustration has grown at a Newton pool over how frequently the swimming facilities have been closed to clean up what state and federal regulators call "fecal accidents."

Some members of the Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center pool said they are angry that on hot summer days they and their children are unable to access a pool they are paying hundreds of dollars to use. They said that they understand that some incidents are unintentional, and that the pool can't control everything that happens.

But the pool has been closed about eight times this summer - a frequency that has pushed some over the edge, and prompted one person to start an online blog for others to voice complaints.

"The outdoor pool has become a joke - which is the reason I finally opted out of membership after years of frustration," one blogger wrote. "Either the staff is unwilling or unable to enforce a reasonable contamination prevention policy or the offending members are simply inconsiderate of the larger community. Or both."

Members have suggested that the pool adopt a "three strikes and you're out" policy, or levy fines as much as $100 if someone is caught defacating in the pool.

"Were we to find someone," said Esther Hanig, assistant executive director of the community center, "I don't think we'd let it go to three strikes."

They do know one thing.

"Frankly, it's not kids 100 percent of the time," Hanig said. "Let's just say that if it's in the deep, deep end, it's not going to be infants."

On rare occasions when the source is identified, Hanig said, staff members approach the person - or the person's parents - and say, "You really need to be careful." Several years ago, the swimming rights for a child with a gastrointestinal disorder were revoked until the child came back with a doctor's note saying the problem was fixed.

There are national online discussion boards devoted to the topic. One parent said she made her daughter take a cold shower and apologize to the lifeguard after she had two accidents in a pool on the same day.

Stomach virus outbreaks caused by contaminated recreational pools have been rising since the early 1980s, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were no outbreaks reported in 1983, but there were 18 in 2002. The most common infection causes diarrhea, but eye and ear infections can also be caused by contaminated water.

In an effort to defuse an embarrassing topic, the CDC has been trying to encourage discussion on how to prevent the spread of disease while swimming in the pool.

The agency, which in May for the first time sponsored a National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week, distributes a poster that looks like an eye chart and states: "Can you read this? Have diarrhea? Don't swim."

While chlorine kills just about every harmful substance eventually, it can take up to seven days to kill some parasites.

In Newton, the city health department inspects 53 pools throughout the city about once a week and tests for high levels of bacteria. About one pool a week has to be closed, sometimes for as little as an hour. In some cases the problem stems from chemical filtering, while in others from an undiscovered fecal incident, said David Naparstek, the Newton health commissioner. According to city records, inspectors had to close the JCC pool only once this summer.

"Every pool has this, especially kiddie pools," Naparstek said "But we want and expect pools to do what's safest. Which may not always be the most popular thing."

Depending on the accident, cleanup can take as little as 30 minutes or as long as a day.

Tom Cahill, the aquatics director for the city, said there has been only one incident this year at municipal facilities. Gath Memorial Pool had to close for about 90 minutes, Cahill said.

Lindsay Stephenson, aquatic director at the West Suburban YMCA, said the Y has had two incidents so far this year.

"It's not necessarily a common occurrence, but it's something that happens every year," she said, adding that the number of occurences at the JCC "is not astronomical by any means."

Lifeguards at the JCC now clear the pools 15 minutes of every hour and encourage people to use the time to go to the bathroom, according to Hanig. Announcements have been made, and handouts passed around. Two years ago, the JCC instituted a policy requiring children under 4 to wear disposable swim pants as well as rubber pants with elastic leg openings. No disposable diapers are allowed in the pool.

Some parents have suggested partial refunds for days that the pool is closed. A pool membership from Memorial Day to Labor Day ranges from $295 for senior citizens to $1,399 for a family that is not a member of the community center.

"Anytime people are inconvenienced you'll have a certain number who will complain," said Hanig. "It makes it more difficult for them, and we're trying to improve our preventative measures."

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.