(ECNS) -- As heat waves continue, people in Beijing flock to swimming pools to cool off, but tests found water quality generally failed to meet minimum standards, usually due to shoddy work, Beijing Times reports.
Liu Ying, the deputy chief at the public places section of Beijing Health Inspection, said common problems at outdoor swimming pools included insufficient amounts of chlorine and higher urea.
He said incorrect doses of chlorine, used to disinfect the water, increased the multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms, facilitating the spread of disease.
A test of swimming pools at Tuanjiehu Lake showed the presence of chlorine residual was about one third to half that of the state standard of 0.3-0.5mg/L. A similar problem was also found in one test at a popular water entertainment venue in Chaoyang Park.
Perspiration and urine from swimmers explained the high densities of urea, found frequently in tests in previous years as well, Liu added.
Many swimming pools in Beijing used too much polymeric aluminium precipitant, a chemical used to keep water looking clear, rather than replenishing a pool with fresh water, according to the report.
An insider also said some pools used cheaper and substandard disinfectants and flocculants to also save costs.
Beijing now has about 100 swimming pools that allow people to easily detect the water quality by scanning a QR code or complain about substandard conditions via a hot line on 12320. Health authorities also vowed to enhance inspections at outdoor swimming pools.
