Reopening Apartment Swimming

Reopening Apartment Swimming Pools

At the time of writing this article, it’s anticipated that by the publication of this article, swimming pools will be open state-wide, absent of any further orders closing swimming pools. Keep informed on the required occupancy limits of your swimming pool. Please refer to www.haaonline.org for the most updated guidance on apartment pools and other amenities as they relate to COVID-19, as well as www.PHTACoronaupdate.com for pool health and safety guidelines. Now, let’s talk about what reopening your swimming pools looks like.

Navigating social distancing inside the pool and within its gates will be the most challenging part of reopening your apartment community’s swimming pool. The good news: According to experts from the CDC and other aquatic health organizations, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted though pool water. But there is a caveat: proper operation and maintenance should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19. If you locked the gate at the start of quarantine and forgot about the pool until now, you have a lot of work to do.

Should you have a green pool, the first thing to do is to make sure the equipment is running and backwash the filter. Next, shock it with the appropriate amount of calcium hypochlorite and then brush the entire plaster surface. Let the pool sit running for a day to allow the water to settle, then you can begin the vacuuming process. The filter will need to be backwashed more often than normal due to the large amount of matter it will be taking from the water. Depending on how bad the pool was this process may need to be repeated a few times. If you run into problems or need help, contact your preferred pool maintenance and repair company for advice or assistance.

The coronavirus isn’t the only disease you have to worry about right now if you have neglected your pool over the last few months. Other diseases such as E-Coli, Shigella, Giardia and Cryptosporidium (Crypto) can linger in your pool waters if you haven’t kept your pools blue, clear and safe. A pool left to itself with no care will easily become infected with these recreational water illnesses, which can be easily spread amongst swimmers and staff. The twice daily checking and balancing of chemicals (yes, even on Sundays), is still a state requirement. Inspectors are still inspecting pools for compliance and shutting down noncompliant facilities, which requires reinspection fees and could present possible fines. It is less work and more cost-effective to keep a pool in good shape than it is to turn one back around after it’s gone green. Properties should keep the mindset that the pools will be reopening soon, and therefore need to be in swim ready condition. Reopening Apartment Pools

After months of quarantine, apartment communities have been antsy to reopen their pools so that their residents could regain access to the amenity they miss the most, especially now that summer is here. Still, it’s important to take your time and reopen the right way. If you are reopening your swimming pool, there are a few things to keep in mind. From an aquatic management perspective, the first thing that will have to be addressed is how to control the number of people allowed on your pool decks. Keep informed on the required occupancy limits of your swimming pool. (Please check www.haaonline.org for the most up to date information on apartment amenity guidelines.) From a liability and health and safety standpoint, you will want to set rules for your swimming pool area and manage or supervise the pool area.

You will want to consider how to control access and ensure proper social distancing between pool patrons. You could have residents preschedule their time at the pool, you could implement various automated access options or even assign residents to specific days to use the pool. Each has pros and cons that should be discussed with your team to determine the best action for your property and your residents. Removing furniture from the pool area and marking spots where residents can stand or sit will help reduce touch points, maintain public health and safety and promote social distancing. This, like all other COVID-19 changes, will take some getting used to and it will probably lead to complaints, but health and safety cannot be taken lightly. Communicate with your residents and staff before you reopen. Also prior to reopening, add signage to your pool with COVID-19 guidelines.

Thorough cleaning and disinfecting will need to take place multiple times a day, including all surfaces, any furniture, tabletops, restrooms and even the decking, to prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus. There are multiple tools available to do this quickly and thoroughly in order to prevent down-time between swim groups. Spray on disinfectants are available for the cleaning and disinfecting of large areas that require little to no direct handling of the items to be cleaned.

Proper hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of this virus, beyond handwashing. Other pre-swimming recommendations that were standard before COVID-19, such as using the restroom, showering and wearing proper swim attire, including infants, will still need to be strongly enforced.

In the end, it will be up to individual apartment communities and management companies to decide the best health and safety protocols for their swimming pools. We all need to keep in mind the number one priority –the health and safety of swimming residents. Please keep your pools swim ready at all times, so that we can guarantee safe bodies of water, swimmers or not. Please refer to www.haaonline.org for the most updated guidance on apartment pools and other amenities as they relate to COVID-19, as well as www.PHTACoronaupdate.com for pool health and safety guidelines.

Grant Almquist is the owner of Texas Apartment Pool Services, a full-service swimming pool maintenance and repair company. He will be monitoring guidance from the CDC and government offices on suggested protocols for opening pools and other public amenities. Almquist can be reached at grant@texasapartmentpoolservices.com. For property inspections for safety or if you’re interested in a CPO class, visit www.TAPSTX.com. How to reopen your pools for safe and healthy use as state-mandated quarantine lifts. By GRANT ALMQUIST,Texas Apartment Pool Services