The Bluegrass Swim Club in Fort Wright shut down its pool for more than a day after a fecal contamination incident, the fourth time it has happened this summer season.
The club, at 101 Bluegrass Ave., announced the closure on its Facebook page Tuesday, July 28, saying the pool would remain closed through 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, LINK nky reported. Management described the frequency as excessive and urged parents to pay closer attention to their children's bathroom needs before they enter the water.
The pool reopened Wednesday, July 29, at 4 p.m. and is back to normal operations, according to a Facebook post from the club.
What the closure means for swimmers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines a specific protocol for fecal incidents in pools. For formed stool, operators must close the pool, remove the material with a net or bucket, raise free chlorine to at least 2 parts per million, maintain pH at 7.5 or lower, and keep those levels for 25 to 30 minutes while the filtration system runs.
Diarrheal incidents require a far more aggressive response: hyperchlorination to 20 parts per million for at least 12 hours and 45 minutes, because the parasite Cryptosporidium can survive in properly chlorinated water for more than 10 days.
The type of incident has not been publicly disclosed. The roughly 24-hour closure window could be consistent with either protocol.
Four incidents in one season
No details are publicly available about when the three earlier incidents occurred this summer or what type they were. The CDC recommends pool operators maintain a fecal incident log documenting the date, time, type of incident, and chlorine and pH levels at the time of each event.
It is not publicly known whether the Kenton County Health Department has been notified or conducted an inspection at the facility.
The Bluegrass Swim Club operates Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guest passes cost $10 per person, with a maximum of five visits per guest per season. Residents with questions can reach the club at 859-360-1130.
