Frequency of water tests during a let

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Gettingthere
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Frequency of water tests during a let

Post by Gettingthere »

It was recently brought to my attention that in the UK a pool which is included with a holiday let should, strictly speaking, be classified as a "commercial" pool and be be tested 3 times a day for water quality.

Now this is completely impractical as far as I'm concerned. So can I ask what others do?

Gettingthere
e-richard
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Re: Frequency of water tests during a let

Post by e-richard »

Gettingthere wrote:It was recently brought to my attention that .....
Where was this snippet of "fact" ?
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Gettingthere
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Post by Gettingthere »

Apparently guidelines issued by the Safety Executive with PWTAG.
(That’s the Pool Water Advisory Group.) But you need to spend £65 to find out about it!
https://www.pwtag.org.uk/knowledge/essential_guide.php

This is according to my pool maintenance company whose advice I sought about something. They apologised but said because i’d asked they needed to quote chapter and verse!
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Post by zebedee »

Should this be in the scam topics?? What guidance comes at a cost of £65 which isn’t a money making scam?

Definitely sounds made up to me :shock: :shock:

Edited to add: I’m not talking about you Gettingthere. I think someone is trying to scam you.
Gettingthere
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Post by Gettingthere »

Sadly not I fear.
My local authority in Devon are doing a massive survey of “commercial” pools in the area, and what safety / cleaning regimes they have in place. When I queried it with them as I only let for less than 15 weeks a year, they said that any amount of letting needed to be considered commercial. Aside from avoiding drownings in pools they are particularly concerned about the regime owners have for filtration, backwashing and water cleansing. Also, removal of faeces and rules imposed about use of the pool by people who have had diarrhoea in the last 48 hours.

They didn’t mention the 3 water tests a day, and I guess that’s only advisory good practice. But I think more stringent regulations may be coming our way.

Meanwhile, I hear that the National Safety Executive are beginning to clamp down on Hot Tubs that are for similar “commercial” use and will be requiring certain standards of build and maintenance and regular water checks. Their concern is particularly around legionella.
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Post by teapot »

Oh boy, well I see the problem as being if you don't comply and something happens you will have little defense.
Sadly the self appointed PWTAG are listened to even though they have no legal standing. Please don't buy there book, I hate to think of them receiving income to further their agenda. Do as I do and borrow it from the British library if you must. They have many actual chemistry facts wrong, several descriptions wrong, and despite me knowing some of them I do not necessarily agree with what they have written. Some of their panel have businesses which they try to further, some are members of public health bodies and are there because we need a proper standard not advisory notes.

The EU spec is due out soon and if I can get a copy I shall divulge the contents but it will cost several hundreds to buy a copy and quite honestly I can't be bothered.
If you are using an automated dosing system you'll have a data log for information on chemical levels, it is pretty certain that all commercial pools will have to be automatically dosed.
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Post by Giraffe »

The Health and Safety Exexcutive (HSE) publish government guidance on the provision and use of pools and hot tubs (spa pools). This used to be free online, but I believe you now have to pay for it. Holiday lets fall within the remit of this guidance. Swimming pools have different regulations to hot tubs as the latter are more at risk from bacteria infestation. New regulations are in the pipeline which will cover more extensive maintenance/cleaning requirements.
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teapot
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Post by teapot »

We have already covered the likely changes in this thread
viewtopic.php?p=357778#357778
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teapot
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Post by teapot »

I was reminded today by a colleague who runs training courses on the swimming pool and spa subjects of a statement by the HSE.

Training does Not have to be PWTAG accredited, shows what they think of PWTAG!
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cleanforum
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Post by cleanforum »

"So can I ask what others do"

Once every 3-4 days as per our pool cleaning regime with strips and liquid kit. June-Sept. Then every 7 days or so, depending on use conditions, group size etc, etc... so not very scientific, but I am sure that our pool is in far better shape than for example, the municipal pool here which is subject to all sorts of controls but is often cloudy and (sometimes) visibly dirty on the bottom.
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Post by teapot »

cleanforum wrote:"So can I ask what others do"

Once every 3-4 days as per our pool cleaning regime with strips and liquid kit. June-Sept. Then every 7 days or so, depending on use conditions, group size etc, etc... so not very scientific, but I am sure that our pool is in far better shape than for example, the municipal pool here which is subject to all sorts of controls but is often cloudy and (sometimes) visibly dirty on the bottom.
It depends, where is the pool? Do you have automated dosing or just manual?
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Annew
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Post by Annew »

Hi there

Which council have contacted you? Is it Devon CC or your local DC? I have just had major conversations with my DC in Devon who have, eventually, agreed with me that my pool is NOT a public pool and does not need to be monitored by them. (personally I think they are trying to hit quota at the moment and to do this have just googled holiday cottages with pools.....)

Happy to speak to you about it if you like, PM me if you want.
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teapot
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Post by teapot »

I would like to hear about it Annew. Some common sense is needed between a pool used by a few guests and a full blown coach load of school kids in municipal pool
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Post by Giraffe »

The HSE guidance specifically includes holiday let spa pools - ie. hot tubs and jacuzzi type baths. They have stopped publishing it free online, now you have to buy it.
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teapot
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Post by teapot »

Giraffe wrote:The HSE guidance specifically includes holiday let spa pools - ie. hot tubs and jacuzzi type baths. They have stopped publishing it free online, now you have to buy it.
Yes, as you said before and I posted "we have already discussed this"
What's your point?
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