Jellie Park spa pool closed until further notice

The spa pool at Christchurch’s Jellie Park Recreation and Sport Centre has been closed after a water sample tested positive for Legionella bacterium.

The pool was closed yesterday afternoon (Thursday 11th August) immediately after receiving the test results from the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB).

The positive finding of Legionella bacterium was in one water sample out of seven taken.

Staff are thoroughly decontaminating and servicing the spa pool and it will remain closed until testing confirms the Legionella bacterium is not present.

The Council is working closely with its environmental health team, the CDHB and specialist contractors to ensure a full risk assessment continues to inform any action going forward.

Commenting on the closure, Christchurch City Council's Recreation and Sports Unit Manager John Filsell stated “as with all our pools, the spa is tested regularly to ensure we maintain our pools to the standard required under New Zealand Water Quality Standards.

“We test our pool facilities every two hours to ensure chlorine concentration exceeds the required level to kill Legionella and other bacteria upon contact. Additionally, and once a month, we commission independent bacteriological testing. These results are audited annually by Water Safety New Zealand and we always pass these audits."

As an additional precaution, spa pools at the Pioneer and Graham Condon Recreation and Sport Centres will be super-chlorinated and tested.

Filsell added "I'm confident we've done everything possible to ensure there are no further issues with the water quality and I want to reassure people that the risk to the public is extremely low.”

Other swimming pool services at Jellie Park, Pioneer and Graham Condon Recreation and Sport Centres are not affected.

Dr Ramon Pink, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, commended the Council’s cautious approach, stating “we don’t consider there to be any current risk to public health and commend the Council for its prompt decision to close the spa pool until further test results are clear.”

Legionella grows in warm damp places, but it’s relatively uncommon to find legionella present in a public pools due to the rigorous monitoring and cleaning systems in place.

However, Dr Pink says the presence of Legionella at a Council facility, with such strict systems in place, serves as a reminder to all spa pool owners to regularly check for the bacteria.

He concluded “Legionella bacteria can cause a serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) called Legionnaires' disease. You can catch the disease by inhaling airborne droplets or particles containing the bacteria.

“The illness may be mild but can sometimes be fatal. It is more common in older people, particularly if they smoke, have poor immunity or a chronic illness.”

Symptoms include dry coughing, high fever, chills, diarrhoea, shortness of breath, chest pains, headaches, excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Image: Jellie Park Recreation and Sport Centre from the air.

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