Tests back; bathhouse in Hot Springs reopens

The Quapaw Baths and Spa in Hot Springs has been cleared to resume all services after tests for Legionella bacteria came back negative, officials said Friday.

The spa on Bathhouse Row closed Aug. 4 after preliminary tests indicated that the water was contaminated with the bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires’ disease.

The business began remediation and disinfection efforts while waiting for the final test results. The tests confirmed that there “was never any Legionella growth” at the facility, said Brent Everitt, a spokesman for the National Park Service’s Midwest Regional Office.

“They went ahead and treated as if they had it and started just in case,” Everitt said. “It was just a good business practice.”

In a statement, Evan Nierman, a spokesman for Quapaw Baths & Spa, called the episode a “false alarm” and said the bathhouse has reopened.

“We have always taken far-reaching steps to provide a relaxing and pristine environment for our guests and are pleased that this false and erroneous test reaffirms our perfect record on health and sanitation,” he said.

Three visitors to the spa in the past year have suffered from Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia that spreads from inhaling Legionella bacteria, Everitt said.

“There is no way at this time to link this to the park or the Quapaw,” he said. “The Arkansas Department of Health is working on [its] investigation right now.”

The park is working with the agency along with the National Park Service Office of Public Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials said.