Why did the City of Phoenix pools close?
26 Phoenix pools were closed for a week in July 2008 after officials said an accidental bowel movement caused the outbreak at two pools in west Phoenix. The contaminations sickened nearly 60 people, though only two people have confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidium is spread through feces and causes diarrhea. City workers spent days hyperchlorinating and backwashing the pools to clear them of the parasite. Cryptosporidiosis is caused by microscopic parasites. Both the disease and the parasite are commonly known as “Crypto.” The parasite is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and makes it very resistant to chlorine disinfection. Water is the most common method of transmission of this parasite and Cryptosporidium is one of the most frequent causes of waterborne disease (drinking water and recreational water) among humans in the United States.
