Poo-gate strikes yet again...
Contaminatedwaterpalaceshut
Hamilton Water Palace’s main pool was once again closed last week due to faecal contamination.
It reopened last Friday after being closed around 5pm on Wednesday.
Swimmers expecting to go for a dip that night were told that they could not access the popular facility.
The latest incident happened during a children’s swimming lesson and is the latest in a long series of pool closures due to excrement in the water.
Earlier this year South Lanarkshire revealed the Water Palace pool had been closed 23 times in the past four years following an enquiry by the Advertiser.
One exasperated swimmer told the Advertiser: “I go to the Water Palace most evenings for a swim, but when I went along on Wednesday I was told the pool wasn’t open.
“I did ask a member of staff why, but didn’t get an answer.
“These closures happen all too often.
“It’s very disappointing for many swimmers, especially those who use the pool regularly.
“It’s a long time for the pool to be closed. “It’s very frustrating.” The swimmer suggested that matters could be improved by communicating clearly to parents who take young children into the pool.
He added: “I think that the Water Palace need to get the message across to parents of young children.
“Children who are unwell, should not go into the main pool.
“It risks the closure of the pool, not for a few hours, but days, causing inconvenience to a lot of people.” A South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture spokesperson explained: “Hamilton Water Palace had to close from Wednesday evening to Friday morning due to a faecal contamination in the main pool during a children’s swimming lesson session.
“When this happens we have to close the pool immediately and carry out a strict cleaning regime to ensure any harmful bacteria is removed.
“This is carried out in line with Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group guidelines.
“The timescale for this can vary based on volume of pool water, turnover and chemical treatment.
“For the 25-metre pool at Hamilton Water Palace this takes 36 hours.
“We apologise for the inconvenience to our customers but public health is our priority.”
These closures happen all too often