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Oh No, Crypto!

"With a Purposeful Grimace and a Terrible Sound
He Pulls the Spitting High Tension Wires Down

Helpless People On a Subway Train
Scream Bug-eyed As He Looks in On Them

He Picks Up a House and He Throws It Back Down
As He Wades Through the Buildings Toward the Center of Town

Oh No, They Say He's Got to Go, Go Go Godzilla
Oh No, There Goes Tokyo, Go Go Go Crypto"

The whimsical lyrics to Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla" spring immediately to mind as I read on and on about the dreaded Cryptosporidium! These lyrics take on a somewhat profound yet intentionally humorous meaning as the words "Go Crypto" are substituted for "Godzilla".

Regrettably, crypto is no laughing matter. In fact, it is a very real and menacing "intruder" when it finds it's way into our drinking or recreational waters. It wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting intestinal system in much the same way Godzilla did (on film) in the streets of Tokyo. And like Godzilla, crypto is tough to kill. As a result, practitioners within our industry have found themselves in a precarious situation, grasping for an effective weapon to eliminate this foe. The notorious "creature" is loose in the "streets" of our swimming pools and as the minister of defense we've got to decide if, and/or when to call out the heavy artillery.

Just when it seemed that Godzilla would bring utter and complete devastation, the inhabitants of Tokyo would turn up the defensive heat, driving him back into the sea from which he came. We can, and must do the same thing with Crypto. That is, turn up the "heat"! In our case, the "heat" is ORP. Yes, Oxidation Reduction Potential, or qualitative kill power. True heavy artillery in the on-going pathogen battle!

Crypto is a formidable opponent, but it is not the nearly indestructible "monster" it is portrayed as by some. There is well documented scholarly research giving evidence to the fact that it is readily and fully deactivated in as little as 30 to 120 minutes when exposed to a sustained ORP level of 800 to 865 mV. Kent Williams, Executive Director of the PPOA has long been hailing us with this fact from his "soap box", the Pumproom Press (please see PrP Issue 4, Fecal Water Balance: It Happens Every Day; PrP Extra Summer 1998, The Dreaded E. Coli bacterium; PrP Issue 6, Tech Talk: Crypto Update; PrP, Crypto Makes the News Again!).

When you're making a choice from the available water treatment arsenal, which would you rather; a weapon of mass destruction with a timely result, or a "fixed" weapon which kills only passers-by one at the time? I'm talkin' 30 minutes to 2 hours Contact Time (CT) with a system that is capable of delivering continuous ORP elevation (i.e. high capacity venturi feed) as opposed to 6 to 24 hours with "outboard" treatment systems (i.e. Ozone, UV). It's all good, but those of you with "The Solution" know what I mean!

"Godzilla's" lyrics repetitively finish...

"History Shows Again and Again
How Nature Points Out the Folly of Men"

Folly can be defined as a costly and foolish undertaking; an unwise investment or expenditure. Let's not let history prove nature right with this sobering indictment! We're not looking down the barrel at Godzilla here, right?!

(Click on title at top for BOC's Godzilla Live!)

"An Ounce of Prevention..."

Benjamin Franklin is one of the most quotable people ever to color the pages of our American history. A few of his most memorable quotes include, "A penny saved is a penny earned", "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise", and "God helps them that help themselves". Haven't you recently heard one of these in conversation yourself? He was a practical man; knowledgeable and useful in many disciplines. Although not a "pool guy", as far as we know, I believe he would be a profound advocate of preventative maintenance in the pump room today. His quote,

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

should be posted on the wall in the work space of every pool operator. Expending "an ounce of prevention" is essential to realizing that "pound of cure" for operators with "The Solution" on their wall.

The hard part is in remembering to routinely perform a preventative task when the demand hardly seems regular. I'm referring to that "once every so often" acid washing of the venturi. A great way to remind ourselves of regular tasks is to schedule them, right? Knowing when a task was last performed also adds to the level of awareness and further assures timely performance in the future. This is especially helpful when there are multiple parties responsible for completing the same task. Our friends at The City of Henderson (NV) have taken this concept one more step in placing a "last cleaned" notification directly on the face of their feeders. Very practical! The best thing about it is that this method removes the guessing and helps eliminate the eventual foreseeable venturi clogs. How's that for "an ounce of prevention"?

We like this idea so much that we're considering incorporating it as standard issue. Let us know what you think of this helpful hint with your comments!

Model Aquatic Health Code

You are probably aware of the movement toward the development of a national model aquatic health code (MAHC) for recreational water venues, but did you know that you can participate in the process as well? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently taking applications for individuals who are interested in serving on technical committees to address future modules of this code. Go to http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/MAHC/model_code.htm to download the application packet and review background information, vision and objective statements, as well as a diagram of the sequence of events being undertaken as part of the MAHC development process.

In October, the CDC released the MAHC “Strawman”, an overall outline of the envisioned MAHC. In addition, modules covering the first three chapters of the MAHC including the Preface, User Guide, and Definitions were included. A fourth module, providing guidance for responding to Fecal/Vomit/Blood contamination incidents is also available at the same link, www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/MAHC/pdf/announcements/20081010_MAHC_news.pdf.

Encouraging Texas Public Pool Council members to get involved, Tom Vyles of the Plano (TX) Health Department said,

"before you think you are not qualified, take a look at the whole thing (MAHC Structure and Content). You may have some skills or expertise they need."

True too that we don't often have the opportunity to play a part in national policy making. Here's an opportunity to contribute to the model code your state's DOH may very well consider adopting in the future. A worth while consideration for sure!

Installation Showcase

Woodson YMCA South Pool, Wausau, WI
Installed by Al Neumann of AJ Contract Services

"The Solution" is in AI's Top 20 Waterparks

SureWater feeders are the feed system of choice for the top three, and four out of the top six waterparks in Aquatics International's 2008 Top 20 Waterparks list published in the September issue.

Number 6, Raging Waters in San Dimas, California installed their first Solution in January of 2003, then added a second system to their park in August of 2005. Number 3, Wet 'N Wild Orlando was the first waterpark in Florida to go with SureWater, installing their first of four feeders in June of 2003. Number 1, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon followed suit with the January 2004 installation of two Solutions, one each on their wave and river pools. Disney subsequently added three more Solutions at Typhoon Lagoon in 2005, and this year has placed Number 2, Blizzard Beach on SureWater feed systems with the installation of two Solutions. Isn't it great to know that as an owner/operator of "The Solution" Feed System, you are among some of the top operations in the country! Congratulations!

See the September issue of AI for the complete Top 20 list.

"Homo sapian Soup"

How many metering pumps does it take...?

This is an actual summer afternoon crowd in the indoor wave pool at Tokyo Summerland Water Adventure Park in Japan. And you thought your demand was difficult to keep up with! Click on the title above for the video. "Soup's on!"

Henderson's Solutions

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It's a Small World (Wide Web) After All!

How many times have you been working through a particular set of circumstances and thought, "I can't be the only poor sap who's ever had to deal with this situation"? Generally, when that thought has come to my mind, I wasn't looking much past my own "back yard" for an answer. Usually my short range pursuit would come back with a solution that would do the trick, and that was good enough. What might I find if I could expand my network beyond my regional interest group?

Over the past couple of years I've had the privledge of talking with some folks around the globe about their operations from top to bottom. The thing that keeps coming back to me is that no matter where we live on this planet geographically, or how diverse our cultures have developed, within the world of Aquatics we are one in the same. Whether its lifeguard shortages, water quality concerns, liability issues, or business finances, we are all looking at a very similar set of circumstances as we put on our work hats in the morning. It is comforting, in a sick kind of way, to know that there are multitudes of people in my industry that are dealing with the same challenges as me. Blogging can be an efficient way of hooking up with likeminded individuals all over the world. My (anonymous if I want it to be) concern, when aired in this blog, becomes a "jumping off" point for discussion that not only helps me with my concern, but anyone else in the world who happens to log on and read the dialog offered as well. So, with that having been said, Bon Voyage bloggers!

End the "Bucket Brigade"!

And away we go! This endeavor is likely to be an interesting adventure into the minds of Pool Operators. It should prove to be a valuable resource to those who participate in contributing to its content. I don't believe there is any better way to learn than to hear it from the direct source, the proverbial "horses mouth". Wouldn't you rather talk to someone who's been there and done that. In my experience, that is where the true wisdom lies.

So, you've heard that it requires special procedures, and/or remedial products to keep combined chlorine in check in in-door swimming pools. All I know is that "I'm superchlorinating every two weeks and that don't cut it!" Somebody out there is having some success and not breaking their back (and budget) to get the job done.

Wouldn't you like to hear from an unbiased source when you have a similar question. You and your peers have nothing to gain from participating in this blog, except a chance to help out a comrade and maybe pick up a pearl or two you can apply yourself. Well, you get the idea. Bookmark this address , give it a look see from time to time and please comment. What you know could make the difference for someone else.