USU Working to Protect Against Cryptosporidium
USU is taking steps to ensure the swimming pool in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation building is protected from the recent outbreaks of cryptosporidium occurring in Cache County, according to Bill Bauer, Campus Recreation facilities coordinator.
“I hope students don’t get scared and still come swim in our pool,” Bauer said. “We do an awesome job of keeping it clean.”
As part of the precautions that USU is taking to prevent the spread of cryptosporidium, Bauer said children under the age of 5 or children who wear diapers will not be allowed in the HPER pool for the time being.
Cryptosporidium is a waterborne parasite that causes severe cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease. It is spread through fecal matter and can be transmitted by swallowing recreational water. According to the Utah Health Department, there have been 664 cases of illness due to cryptosporidium reported in Utah, and several of those cases were in Cache County.
Bauer said no cases have been reported in connection with the HPER pool and they intend to keep it that way by implementing the rules given to them by the Bear River Health Department.
Although the HPER pool is already chlorinated and the levels are checked three times daily, Geoff Miller, who is in charge of the water quality on the USU campus, said the HPER has also started superchlorinating the pool once a week to ensure it is safe.
“As far as clarity goes,” Miller said, “you won’t find much better.”
Along with superchlorinating the pool once a week and not permitting children under the age of 5 to swim, as the health department has suggested, the HPER has set guidelines in case of an accident in the pool.
“If there is an incident, we have steps that we take,” Bauer said. “We close the pool for 24 hours, backwash it and superchlorinate it.”
In addition to closing down the pool for chlorination, Colby Goodliffe, who works with project and engineering support and also oversees water quality, said a public notice would be issued if cryptosporidium became a problem in the HPER pool.
“We would put out a public notice and tell anyone with symptoms to see a doctor,” Goodliffe said. “It’s nasty stuff.”
Goodliffe said this is unlikely, however, since the HPER pool is regularly tested for coliform bacteria, a precursor to cryptosporidium, and it has never been an issue.
There are some precautions students who wish to swim at the HPER should take, however, as long as cryptosporidium continues to be a concern in Utah. Students should make sure to shower completely with soap and water and stay away from swimming pools if they have been sick recently, Miller said.
Despite the increased cases of cryptosporidiosis in the area, Bauer said students who wish to swim in the HPER should not be afraid.