I've been annoyed by something they do at one of the YMCAs I swim at. The lifeguards wash down the pool deck with a high powered hose -- while people are swimming.
I kind of just let it slide until one day when one of the lifeguards scrubbed down the deck first with a stiff-bristled broom and some sort of sudsy cleaning solution. When he started to wash that away with the high powered hose, I stopped him. "Dude -- You're gonna wash all that crap into the water I'm swimming in..." I made him wait until I was done. So that left a slippery deck...
I asked the aquatics director why they do this. "To wash the crud out from between the floor tiles. Otherwise we get mold..."
I told him, "Yeah, but your're washing that crud into the pool water that I'm swimming in!" He replied, "Well, there's chlorine in the water..."
I told him chlorine doesn't kill stuff right away. He said, "Well we have the water tested twice a year by the health department and we always pass. We also check the levels several times a day and are always withing guidelines."
I asked him why they can't do this after the pool closes so that people aren't swimming in the stuff immediately. The chlorine can work overnite, and the fliters can get the large pieces that get washed in before anyone has to swim in it again. "Cost savings issues." (I thought that was pretty frank! It's honest, but it also says that to save a few bucks each day, they're willing to expose their members to health risks from the crud that gets washed in, and to safety risks from the standing water that is left on the decks after they're done.)
I also pointed out that chlorine might kill the pathogens in the water, but it doesn't kill what gets washed onto our water bottled at the edge of the pool.
Anyway, I ended up sending email to the management/director chain at this YMCA, and CCd the regional YMCA director. I got a call from several people, and each told me I can request that the lifeguards wait until I'm done swimming if they start washing down the deck when I'm there. And I've done that. Lifeguards comply. (Today the lifeguard said, "It's just water!" I said, "If you lick the pool deck right now, I'll let you continue..." She wouldn't. I said, "OK, I'll be done in 20 minutes." And she waited.)
But I'm interested in thoughts from others here. Do you think there is no problem with this practice? If I want it to stop, what steps would you recommend?
(FWIW, I emailed the local health department. They don't have funding to check out pools. Budget cuts, you know...)
Guv
And we try to do this when the number of people in the pool is light. (Questionable. Today there was at least one lap swimmer in each lane, and some had 2.)
If it is not a health risk, then why do they wait until there are few swimmers?
Former Member
Another point I tried raising: They have the lifeguards doing this. If the lifeguard is washing down the decks, he's not paying attention to the swimmers in the pool.
Response: We only do this when we have at least 2 lifeguards on duty (which is true.) And we try to do this when the number of people in the pool is light. (Questionable. Today there was at least one lap swimmer in each lane, and some had 2.)
But I'm interested in thoughts from others here. Do you think there is no problem with this practice? If I want it to stop, what steps would you recommend?
It sounds unsanitary to me. Paying a lifeguard for an extra half hour to do it after swimmers are finished doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Strength in numbers...if one person complains they probably won't do anything, but if you can convince others to complain they might change their policy. Having to tell a lifeguard every single time you are there would be extremely annoying. Then again, if it's regular staff maybe they'll be aware of you and know ahead of time not to start.
Former Member
Decent pools in my experience have separate drainage for decks. I wouldn't be surprised if current building codes require it, although of course with older pools there is going to be variation. I've never seen anyone washing cleaning products from the deck into the pool. I'd find a new pool if practical.
The pool deck of the indoor pool I've been swimming in for the past year is composed of small ceramic tiles. To my knowledge, it isn't cleaned by power spray washing. Instead, it is "disinfected" using some kind of a power scrubbing machine that is similar to a floor polisher. This might be an option in your situation.
Former Member
I am so stealing the "lick the deck and you can continue" line!
Can't stand when my Y has lifeguards or maintenance scrubbing and hosing the pool deck, sometimes with strong cleaners,while people are swimming.I get nausious from strong scents(like cleaners) and I have often asked for them to wait til I'm done or they may have to scoop my breakfast out of the pool.
Former Member
I am so stealing the "lick the deck and you can continue" line!
Can't stand when my Y has lifeguards or maintenance scrubbing and hosing the pool deck, sometimes with strong cleaners,while people are swimming.I get nausious from strong scents(like cleaners) and I have often asked for them to wait til I'm done or they may have to scoop my breakfast out of the pool.
Yeah, this is another issue. The fumes of the ammonia-based cleaners they use to wash the glass and chrome in the pool area seem to settle at the lowest point in the room -- which is right at the surface of the pool water. Every gasp for breath during a workout gets a bonus additive of cleaning fumes.
Former Member
Decent pools in my experience have separate drainage for decks. I wouldn't be surprised if current building codes require it, although of course with older pools there is going to be variation. I've never seen anyone washing cleaning products from the deck into the pool. I'd find a new pool if practical.
This particular pool has a "gulley" around the pool, and most of the wash water goes into the gutter. But the gutter drains into the general pool filtration system, so it goes into the pool water all the same. I'm not so concerned about that water. The power sprayer still sprays splashed water everywhere. Call it "overspray." When I complained to the lifeguard yesterday, the overspray was directly in my face. It also sprays on the water bottle of any swimmer who uses a water bottle during the workout. At this particular pool, most swimmers keep their fins and buoys and bottles and kick boards in the gutter. It's the easiest place to reach them. "Don't worry. The crud isn't going into the pool. It's going into the gutter!"
Former Member
... but if you can convince others to complain they might change their policy. ...
Yes, I am considering starting up a petition.
As for someone else's suggestion to find a different pool, this town's YMCA system has 5 pools. The one I'm talking about used to be my favorite pool, and it's the closest. But I have started going to the one downtown. It's an extra 10 minutes drive each way, but the water is a bit cooler and the lap lane availability is greater.
And that's the rub. I now go to the original pool only about once a week instead of daily. All my other workouts are downtown. I NEVER see deck cleaning when I'm swimming downtown. But I'll bet it's 75% or more of the few times I go to the old pool that a encounter deck cleaning. It's like a deck cleaning fetish for those people!
Former Member
He replied, "Well, there's chlorine in the water..."
I think this excuse "there is chlorine" has been abused much. Just because there is chlorine in the water doesn't mean you are free to put anything in it.
