Water alarm in the Herrenberg natural outdoor pool: Bacteria force it to close!

Water alarm in the Herrenberg natural outdoor pool: Bacteria force it to close!

The Herrenberg natural outdoor pool remains temporarily closed after the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected in the water. The finding was determined by a water sample from an independent laboratory, which was classified as questionable. This is the message from Stadtwerke Herrenberg, which also announced that the closure will last at least until the end of the week. In the meantime, bathers can use the indoor pool. City utility manager Steffen König explained that the safety and water quality of bathers had top priority. Water quality is monitored at regular intervals and, in the event of minor deviations from the limits, pool closure is considered to avoid any health risks. Further samples will be taken on Tuesday, May 27th, after which a decision will be made regarding the possible reopening of the pool. Herrenberg has repeatedly suffered from bacterial problems since the natural outdoor pool opened in 2015, as evidenced by repeated closures.

The outdoor pool had to close several times in the summer of 2023, four times due to contamination with E. Coli bacteria and once due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is suspected that the contamination was caused by moorhens, which are both in the water and on the lawns. The droppings of these birds may have contaminated the water. Due to the repeated problems, the city administration is considering relocating the moorhens, which are on the Red List of breeding bird species and classified as endangered.

Background on water quality issues

The problem of water quality in swimming pools is a widespread topic. The Federal Environment Agency informs that chlorine is used as a disinfectant to combat pathogens in swimming pools. However, this chemical can react with contaminants in the water, forming harmful byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THM). These substances can have toxic and carcinogenic effects on the human body.

Another problem is water purification in natural outdoor pools, as this is done without chlorine and instead uses biological filter systems. The results of a water sample taken on May 22 showed that the limits were exceeded in several places, although the exact cause of this exceedance is still unknown. Further measures are required to protect bathers from health risks during the summer months.

The operator had already replaced filters in the past to eliminate further problems. The municipal utilities have introduced measures for the 2024 season that led to a trouble-free summer last year. However, the current difficulties raise concerns as the city administration does not promise a quick solution to the existing problems.

Overall, it remains to be seen whether the water samples will provide improved results in the upcoming investigation and whether the Herrenberg natural outdoor pool can be reopened soon. At the moment, however, it remains clear that the health of users is the top priority.

Krzbb reports that the municipal utilities are planning to clean and control the pool water and that all measures will be taken taking the health of the bathers into account. N-tv highlights that water samples will continue to be taken to investigate the causes of the bacterial problem. Finally there Federal Environment Agency Information about the dangers of chlorine and the associated chemical reactions, which can also lead to deterioration in water quality.