Understanding the challenges of interactive water features

by Sally Bouorm | February 1, 2012 8:51 am

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By Connie Sue Centrella

Today there is great acceptance to a wide variety of aquatic play features, including everything from waterslides and lazy rivers to activity pools, mushroom sprays, splash pads and wave pools. The tremendous popularity of waterparks with unique interactive water features has even sparked interest from residential pool owners. When it comes to size, these play features can be scaled back not only for smaller public pool installations, but also for residential applications.

These innovative aquatic features help remove the fear of water that young bathers sometimes have, as the shallow water, bubbling actions and spray features offer comfort and reassurance; however, they can also present new challenges and risk factors when it comes to maintenance and water quality concerns.

Understanding contamination hazards

Due to shallow water and active misters and sprayers that are common with aquatic play centres, there is a constant need for adequate disinfection, which must be continually monitored. As a result, contamination risks increase dramatically, making it critical for pool professionals to have a complete understanding of the complexities surrounding recreational water illnesses (RWIs).

In the public sector, health regulators are updating their guidelines to call attention to higher contamination probabilities. One important insertion into health codes is the implementation of secondary sanitation. The recommended level for disinfectants such as free available chlorine is two to four parts per million (ppm); however, with higher bather loads, free chlorine combines rapidly. Therefore, oxidation must take place at a faster rate. For this reason, a supplemental sanitizer is now recommended.

Ozone and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems[2] have gained acceptance as additional means to eliminating chloramines and fighting RWIs. Controllers and automatic chemical feed systems, in conjunction with oxidation reduction potential (ORP) metering, are also proven safeguards in fighting contamination. In this case, ORP probes are installed on the return side of the filtration system to measure chlorine activity (the ratio of oxidation/reduction), which is expressed in millivolts (mV). As ORP is influenced by pH, the operator must take precautions to ensure the probes are calibrated and cleaned during routine maintenance. It is also advisable to take manual readings throughout the day to effectively monitor free available chlorine and pH.

How’s the water supply?

Most aquatic play features are installed in shallow water or in zero-depth entry pools. As a result, splash out can cause an increased demand for replacement water; therefore, it is important for operators to test the local water supply, as makeup water directly influences sanitization and water balance parameters.

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Water chemistry for aquatic play features requires testing the five factors of water balance using the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI). This includes measuring the water’s pH, alkalinity (AT), calcium hardness, temperature and total dissolved solids (TDS). When these factors are calculated under the parameters of -.03 to +.03 on the index scale, the disinfection process is optimized.

These balancing factors are influenced by bather waste, disinfections, source water, airborne debris, aeration and evaporation. A low saturation index can cause corrosion of pool surfaces, equipment damage and bather’s eyes to burn, while a high saturation index can cause scale to form on pool surfaces and within the circulation system. This makes it vital for pool operators to understand the parameters of water balance to reduce the need of premature interior resurfacing and equipment replacement.

Eliminating risks and liability

Ensuring bather safety is always a priority in any aquatic environment—particularly where aquatic play features are present. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act mandates all main drains and other suction ports in public pools be inspected and retrofitted to meet the new guidelines enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). It is advisable, especially in residential applications, that the awareness of entrapment must prevail.

Further, accidental injuries (e.g. slips and falls) in and around shallow waters can be reduced by careful inspection of all decking around feature areas to eliminate puddles. Residential pool owners should also take precautions to eliminate standing water by installing deck drains.

Finally, it is vital that children playing in and around these activity pools are able to be seen at all times. In addition to parental supervision, it is also recommended children who cannot swim wear life jackets.

A risk management and emergency response plan should also be put in place to guide homeowners and operators on how to identify, analyze and take steps to reduce exposure to accidents.

Pool professionals should implement and provide training sessions related to chemical hazards, chemical treatments, water quality management, equipment repair and maintenance, as well as accident-related injuries. The training[5] should be ongoing and conducted on a regular basis to ensure education includes up-to-date technologies and recent changes in health codes.

Training

Water feature training should be required for all pool professionals—especially for those amenities that include slides. An established set of rules for entry should be adopted and enforced in both residential and public environments.

For public facilities, maintenance staff should be thoroughly trained on all structures and equipment, in addition to water quality management. For example, waterslides need regular maintenance, with some requiring a routine wax to protect the surface. To further optimize the performance of waterslides and other aquatic features, pumps and motors also need to be regularly examined to ensure proper flow rates. By keeping a regular inspection list and repair log it can help minimize problems.

CHECKLIST FOR AQUATIC PLAY FEATURE INSTALLERS AND OPERATORS

1. Keep a maintenance equipment file and chemical log on each water feature; 2. Manually test each water feature and calibrate with automatic controls; 3. Determine water balance by using the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI); 4. Maintain a file on all chemical treatments (Material Safety Data Sheets [MSDS]); 5. Develop a chemical safety handling program; and 6. Implement an emergency response action plan.

Measuring value

There is much intrinsic value to adding aquatic play features to public and residential pool environments. In addition to increasing a public pool facility’s bottom line, interactive water invites the community to experience a unique attraction that can provide a whole new family experience. However, knowing how to manage the risks is paramount to providing a safe, fun and profitable facility. Proactively engaging in education and training to protect bathers should be a lifetime activity for facility operators and service professionals.

The author invites the reader to comment through an online threaded discussion. The addition of splash pads, misters, slides, mushroom sprays and other interactive water features can increase revenue during renovation as well as new pool designs. What types of features have you added to increase sales and bottom line profits? You can e-mail your experiences, thoughts and suggestions on aquatic play features to ccentrella@keiseruniversity.edu[6].

 

 

Connie Gibson Centrella, MBA, is professor and program director for the online Aquatic Engineering Degree Program at Keiser University eCampus, as well as director of education for Team Horner and a member of the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) Education Committee. She is also a sustainability officer, having been certified in the principles of green and sustainable business practices. Centrella, five-time recipient of the Evelyn C. Keiser Teaching Excellence Award, is celebrating more than 40 years in the pool and spa industry.

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