Splash parks remain closed over bacteria risks
Bassetlaw District CouncilSplash parks in part of Nottinghamshire are being cleaned after tests found levels of a potentially harmful bacterium.
Bassetlaw District Council confirmed on 10 July it had shut three parks in Retford, Worksop and Langold, after water tests found a bacteria called pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The authority said it was advised by the UK Health Security Agency that prolonged exposure to the bacteria could lead to "mild infections".
A spokesperson for the council said retesting would take place after a deep clean was completed and the parks would only reopen when the results were clear.
'Rigorous deep cleaning'
According to the council, the recent test results came after "enhanced testing", which was recommended following an inspection of all its parks earlier this year.
Although the authority was not legally required to carry out that level of testing, it said it chose to do so to "provide the best facilities possible".
The bacteria found in the water could lead to symptoms including skin irritations and mild infections, such as ear infections, which could take five days to present, the council said.
It added the decision to close the parks was also taken as a precaution to protect people with a low immune system or existing health conditions.
A spokesperson said: "The safety of people using our splash parks is extremely important to us, and since receiving these results, we are now in the process of rigorously deep cleaning our splash parks, which includes disinfecting the splash park surfaces, jets, drainage, pipework and plant rooms.
"Following guidance from experts in water management, we will also be increasing our daily and weekly water treatment routines and monitoring so that we have the best chance possible of preventing instances like this from happening again."
Results from retesting are expected to take seven to 10 days to be reported to the council.
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