Health fears spark spa ban; Top gym closes spa baths after experts

SPA baths are to be banned from Europe's largest health club chain amid growing fears that, instead of being healthy stress-busters, they pose a risk to health.

Fitness First has ordered the removal of all spas from its leisure centres after health experts warned that the pools can be a haven for bacteria. A report by the consumer magazine Which? said the warm conditions in spas were an ideal breeding ground for bugs.

"It is harder to maintain good water quality in spa pools than in swimming pools," said the report. "The small volume of water in relation to the number of bathers, coupled with the warm temperature of the water, can make spa pools an easy breeding ground for bacteria.

"Bugs multiply faster in warm water and the raised temperature can cause hair follicles to expand, allowing the entry of bacteria into the skin. Pressured jets of water can enhance this effect further."

A survey published alongside the report found that more than half of the 61 samples taken from spas and pools fell below acceptable standards for water quality.

Nine samples posed a health risk to bathers - and in three cases the risk was potentially serious. Standards were found to be inadequate in seven of 21 spa pools tested, compared with two of 40 swimming pools. In most cases this was because of low or ineffective disinfectant levels in the water, which could allow bacteria to multiply and cause infection.

A Fitness First spa was one of the three considered to pose a potentially serious health risk. The report said: "The spa pool in Fitness First's Shrewsbury club had an extremely high count of bacteria (30 times higher than the maximum recommended levels).

"Although not all bacteria are harmful, a high level indicates a serious defect in the pool's operating system or hygiene procedures. This spa pool also had very little chlorine disinfectant, making it a potentially serious health risk as bathers could catch a water-borne infection."

In a spa owned by another company the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause ear and skin infections, was found. Last year an outbreak of the bug in a London health spa infected around 50 people.

Fitness First said the decision to remove all its spas was prompted by general concerns about the health risks of hot tubs. The spas will be replaced with aromatherapy rooms, at a cost of (pounds) 1.8 million.

"Hot water generates a lot of bacteria and, although chemicals are placed in spas, frankly they're not very pleasant things," said Fitness First founder and chief executive Mike Balfour. "Spas don't create life-threatening problems and nothing has gone wrong so far, but in the best interests of our members we decided to take them out."

A spokeswoman for the company added: "Fitness First has taken external advice and felt that spas could potentially pose health risks to members.

"Fitness First already knew the risks to members because we have teams of experts working for us, but we also consulted a specialist in water-borne diseases who is well known in the industry."

The decision followed an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease at a spa resort in Japan. Six people died and more than 200 were infected.

In Australia, health experts have long been aware of the risks of spas. Four years ago the chief health officer for the state of Victoria warned that spa pools could be a haven for many bacteria and viruses.

Illnesses and conditions said to originate in spas include Legionnaire's disease, gastroenteritis and infections of the skin, ear and urinary tract.

Spas still operate in most major health club chains, including Esporta, LivingWell and David Lloyd Leisure. These three chains said this weekend that they had no intention to close their spas, and insisted that the rigorous cleaning procedures they carry out would prevent bacteria from breeding in the pools.

Local authority leisure centres also have spas, but Scottish councils have no plans to review their policy on operating them.

Dr Colin Ramsay, a consultant epidemiologist at the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, said the dangers could be controlled.

"Legionnaire's is a potential problem because of the nature of the water [in spas]," he said. "It is warmer and has air blasted through it. These are controllable risks if [spas are] operated in accordance with guidelines."

The UK-wide Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) issues guidelines on water treatment, such as recommending monthly testing for bugs, but there is no way of knowing whether its voluntary guidelines are being followed. For the last decade the PWTAG has been campaigning for guidelines to be made compulsory.

Ralph Riley, chairman of the group, said: "We need regulation if we are ever to ensure standards of pool water quality in the same way that we have standards for drinking water and even coastal waters. Regulations would help to ensure that all pools and spas are operated to a certain standard, with competent and qualified staff. This should be the right of every pool user, particularly when you consider the potential for harm caused by incorrect operation."

Additional reporting by Edd McCracken

Copyright 2002
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.