NEARLY 600 swimming pools in Shanghai are equipped with a disinfectant system to better control chlorine levels and ensure the health of swimmers, the Shanghai Social Sports Management Center said.
Pools introduced the system after reports surfaced of swimmers being poisoned by chlorine due to improper disinfection.
A disinfectant system automatically adds chlorine to a pool to ensure it has the correct amount.
Most of the city's large natatoriums already have such a system, but small and private pools often hire people to monitor the water and add chlorine manually, said Zhang Weimin, director of Shenjianqiang Swimming Club.
Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, International Gymnastics Center and Shanghai Pudong Natatorium all said they have a disinfectant system.
Several schools, like Gezhi High School, also have one, Zhang said.
"Authorities may allocate funds for government-run swimming pools but we had to buy our own," Zhang said. "We spent nearly 60,000 yuan (US$9,768) to install the system and it costs 6,000 yuan every two months to replace the detector. That's too much."
But he insisted the club follows very high hygiene standards. The pool's water quality is monitored every hour and sanitation inspectors conduct checks every month, Zhang said.
On May 1, the State General Sports Administration listed swimming as a risky sport and required swimming pools to get an operation certificate.
In order to receive the certificate, swimming pools will be examined by a team of inspectors. They will evaluate the pool for hygiene, as well as life-saving and firefighting equipment and file a report to higher authorities.
If a swimming pool fails the examination, it will have to close until making the necessary changes to pass the inspection.
Shenjianqiang Swimming Club has applied for the certificate.
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