Feces study raises questions about pool cleanliness

A scene from the film Caddyshack is depicted in this image courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The pool-goers' horror depicted in the film Caddyshack when a floating Baby Ruth bar is mistaken for “doodie” is luckily one that swimmers rarely experience first hand.

But a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests fecal matter in public swimming pools is far more common than one might expect.

A full 58 per cent of the U.S. pools tested during the 2012 swim season tested positive for E. coli, bacteria normally found in the human gut and excrement.

The question is: are Vancouver swimming pools plagued with the same problems?

The park board wouldn't say how often they deal with water accidents, but aquatic supervisor Sean Healy insisted swimmers don't need to worry about similar contamination levels locally.

“Fortunately pool foulings are the exception rather than the rule,” he said. "We actually have an impeccable hygiene program at Vancouver park board. All of our filters work 24 hours a day. We have automated chemical systems that are actually monitoring and keeping the chemistry at the prescribed levels every second of operations."

Vancouver Coastal Health manager Paul Markey agrees that pools in the city are held to high standards.

"Routine inspections, our complaint response program and our training program within VCH is second to none, certainly across Canada and I dare say across North America."

The U.S. CDC blames improper bathing practices and young children are to blame for the problem.

Officials recommend swimmers adhere to proper health guidelines and shower with soap before getting into the pool. People should also avoid swimming if they are sick and ensure children have regular bathroom breaks.

With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Penny Daflos.