Why Sharjah has stepped up inspections of hotel swimming pools

Sharjah: Sharjah City Municipality (SCM) has carried out about 200 inspection visits to swimming pools in hotel establishments since the beginning of the year, said Ruqaya Ibrahim, Head of the Health Control Department.

Ibrahim said that the municipality has set nine main health standards and requirements for swimming pools in hotels. As such, the inspection visits are aimed at ensuring that the swimming pool operators adhere to all health and hygienic requirements, including keeping the pool cleaned and free of traces of algae.

They must provide adequate bath areas and toilets for pool users and a room equipped with water purification equipment must be annexed to the pool. The pool operators must also provide rooms with lockers for changing clothes. A technician and a permanent lifeguard familiar with first aid must be available to supervise the pool with the required rescue tools.

The ratio of chlorine and bromine and acidity must be measured and recorded regularly. The pool walls, ceramics and floors must be kept maintained. Tools and towels must also be washed and cleaned after use. The pool operators must adhere to any other applicable terms and conditions.

Ibrahim said samples are taken from swimming pools for examination at the Environment and Consumables Laboratory in the municipality to ensure the suitability of the water for swimming, as the number of pools from which samples have been taken reached approximately 100 basins.