8 Sharjah pools shut for safety reasons

Sharjah - Sharjah Municipality official said the errant pools are in hotels, clubs and residential buildings.

Eight swimming pools were closed last year in Sharjah by the civic body due to violations related to health and hygiene and mismanagement.
A top official at the health section of Sharjah Municipality said the errant pools are in hotels, clubs and residential buildings. The closure will be temporary until the municipality ensures that the stipulated conditions are met with.
He added that the pools in clubs, residential buildings and hotels are monitored continuously to ensure safety of pool users.
Inspectors work in two shifts on a daily basis to carry out intensified inspection on these pools to ensure that the managements follow health and hygiene regulations.
Inspectors ensure that conditions such as quality of water, sanitisation, material used and availability of safeguards at all times are adhered to. In case of violation, inspectors issue warnings to pool managers and issue fines. The pools face closure if they are found to repeat the violations.
The inspectors instruct pool managements to carry out regular maintenances and make the depth number visible. Pools should also be properly lit and all safety equipment should be provided, he added.
The municipality also instructed pool managements to submit samples of water to be tested in the municipality laboratory twice a year. Field inspectors also take random water samples from pools for testing.
Municipality inspectors also measure the percentage of chlorine in the water.
The shut-down pools must rectify their situation to be eligible for reopening, the officer added. Inspections will be intensified this year and the municipality will not tolerate any risk to public health, he added.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

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