• Tributes to Ron Stempfer • UV Technology • Newly ......June 2010 Vol. 21 No. 2 THE INSTITUTE...

June 2010 Vol. 21 No. 2THE INSTITUTE OF

SWIMMING POOL ENGINEERS

• UV Technology

• Newly Qualified Technicians

• Pool Liner Membrane Standards

ISPE mag jun10.qxp 11/6/10 17:23 Page 1

• Tributes to Ron Stempfer

• Filtration Plant for Hydrotherapy Pools

• ISPE Awards

Vol. 31 No. 1THE INSTITUTE OF

SWIMMING POOL ENGINEERS April 2020

For template make PDF 3mm bleed no trims.

Phone: +44 (0) 1271 378 100 | Web: www.goldenc.com

For Jon and Trevor, no job is too big or too small.

It might be one of our new GC Olympia filter tanks ordered for a commercial installation or a Dura pressure switch going out to a domestic maintenance contract.

If you are the customer who’s ordered it, it’s arrival, on time and in good shape, means your job stays on schedule.

Jon, Trevor and the rest of our logistics team are here to make sure that happens, time and time again.

Call any of our customer service team on 01271 378 100 and tell them what’s important for you today.

ISPE advets 2019.indd 2 21/12/2018 15:09:46


ISPE MAGAZINE Vol. 31 No. 1 1

COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT

Officers of the Council

President COLIN DAY

Vice-President PHILIP BARLOW

Immediate Past-President JOHN CHEEK

Honorary Treasurer IAN BETTS

Company Secretary CHRIS CARR

Elected Members of the Council HOWARD GOSLING

BOB JUDD JIMMY LAMB

KIM MUMFORD JOHN SCOTT

MALCOLM SHARP BEN STUDDY

ALLEN WILSON

General Secretary ROSS ALCOCK

The Institute of Swimming Pool

Engineers Limited, P.O. Box 3083,

Norwich, Norfolk NR6 7YL

Tel: 01603 499 959 www.ispe.co.uk

email: [email protected]

© ISPE. The Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers accepts no responsibility whatsoever in respect of any advertisements appearing herein, or for any opinion or statement expressed in technical articles, correspondence or other items.

NOTICE TO ALL READERS Articles and advice in the ISPE Magazine are for

guidance only. Further professional advice should always be sought before acting upon, or refraining

from acting upon, a course of action. Health & Safety is of paramount importance and the correct

PPE (personal protective equipment) should always be utilised before undertaking any job.

If in doubt, ASK!

INDEX

Front Cover Picture 2

A Tribute to Ron Stempfer by Michael Cormacey 4

2019 ISPE Awards 7

Filtration Plant of Commercial Hydrotherapy & Sports Fitness Pools 8

Wilson’s Words of Wisdom - Have test kit, will travel! 13

Studies in Work - 12 Point Legionnaires’ Plan 15

Obituary - Ron Stempfer, FISPE 16

ISPE Seminar Reports 18

Novel Coronavirus - (Covid-19) 20

Product Profile - ‘Evoqua Filters the Blue Lagoon’ 22

New Members & Students and What Do You Do All Day? 24

Common Misconceptions About Hot Tubs in Business 26

ISPE Revision Seminar - Report 28

SPATEX 2020 and ISPE - the power couple 30

Situations Vacant and Notes 32



President COLIN DAY






BOB JUDD JIMMY LAMB



ALLEN WILSON







© ISPE. The Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers accepts no responsibility whatsoever in respect of any advertisements appearing herein, or for any opinion or statement expressed in technical articles, correspondence or other items.





If in doubt, ASK!

INDEX


A Tribute to Ron Stempfer by Michael Cormacey 4

2019 ISPE Awards 7

Filtration Plant of Commercial Hydrotherapy & Sports Fitness Pools 8

Wilson’s Words of Wisdom - Have test kit, will travel! 13

Studies in Work - 12 Point Legionnaires’ Plan 15

Obituary - Ron Stempfer, FISPE 16

ISPE Seminar Reports 18

Novel Coronavirus - (Covid-19) 20

Product Profile - ‘Evoqua Filters the Blue Lagoon’ 22

New Members & Students and What Do You Do All Day? 24

Common Misconceptions About Hot Tubs in Business 26

ISPE Revision Seminar - Report 28

SPATEX 2020 and ISPE - the power couple 30

Situations Vacant and Notes 32



President COLIN DAY






BOB JUDD JIMMY LAMB



ALLEN WILSON







ISPE. The Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers accepts no responsibility whatsoever in respect of any advertisements appearing herein, or for any opinion or statement expressed in technical articles, correspondence or other items.





If in doubt, ASK!

INDEX


Editorial 3

The light turns green this month for SPATEX 2020! 4

The ISPE Programme of Workshops at SPATEX 2020 6

The 39th ISPE AGM 9

The ISPE Filtration Workshop 2019 11

New Members & Students 15

The ISPE 2020 Sponsor Board 16

Seminar Report - Behind the Bubble 18

Wilson’s Words of Wisdom - To floc or not to floc? That is the question 22

Product Case Study - Evoqua keeps it compact 27

Special Bravery Award 31

ISPE Back-to-Basics/Revision Seminar Situations Vacant and Seminar Ideas 32

INDEXFront Cover Picture 2A Tribute to Ron Stempfer by Michael Cormacey 42019 ISPE Awards 7Filtration Plant of Commercial Hydrotherapy & Sports Fitness Pools 8Wilson’s Words of Wisdom - Have test kit, will travel! 13Studies in Work - 12 Point Legionnaires’ Plan 15Obituary - Ron Stempfer, FISPE 16ISPE Seminar Reports 18Novel Coronavirus - (Covid-19) 20Product Profile - ‘Evoqua Filters the Blue Lagoon’ 22New Members & Students and What Do You Do All Day? 24Common Misconceptions About Hot Tubs in Business 26ISPE Revision Seminar - Report 28SPATEX 2020 and ISPE - the power couple 30Situations Vacant and Editorial 32

01245 422800

WATER TESTING

01245 422800 [email protected] Millers Barn, The Warren Estate, Lordship Road, Writtle, Chelmsford Essex CM1 3WT


2 ISPE MAGAZINE Vol. 31 No. 1

Front Cover PictureFront Cover Picture Lee Campbell, TnISPE(Cert.), of Neptune Swimming Pools kindly supplied this issue’s cover picture and the following description. Please see the two images of a fantastic new build indoor pool we recently completed for a client and their extended family in Hampshire. The brief was simple! The client wanted a high end fully tiled pool that could be used by all the family whilst being cost effective to operate. Neptune constructed a 10m x 5m rectangular pool, with 100mm thick insulation to the external walls and internal floor, 1.5m deep with a flat bottom profile so all the family had access to all areas. Large bespoke corner radial steps were included so even the most senior family members had easy access to the pool when required. Standard Certikin white ABS shell fittings were installed, along with 2" pipework to the adjacent plant room, which was large enough to house the Calorex Delta 6 air handling unit, along with a bespoke surround sound and lighting system for the pool hall and adjacent shower and changing rooms. It was an easy choice for us to select this unit as we had previously used a similar unit on another large, high end project and the H&V team at Certikin were always on hand to assist in its selection and even to carry out a final installation assessment once it had been fitted. We chose a Zodiac pump and filter system, due to the 3 year warranty which also included the mechanical seal, as we found from previous installations that these pumps are extremely quiet and offer outstanding performance. The filter was filled with grade 1 AFM recycled glass media to give excellent water quality and auto dosing and control is carried out by a Zodiac eXO iQ LS saltwater generator as the client wanted to steer away from a standard chlorine pool.

This was our first salt water generator installation and we couldn’t be more pleased with it, as the water is absolutely crystal clear and pH and alkalinity fluctuations are minimal. We can’t thank the Zodiac team at Lighthouse Pools enough as they guided us through the installation with ease, and special thanks to John Whiteside for all his patience and assistance.

The client also wanted the pool to be as safe as possible as they had young grandchildren around most weekends, so we installed a Coverstar safety cover without hesitation, as we have a lot of experience in this trusted equipment, as it offers complete peace of mind at the touch of a button, whilst offering a very high end finish and quality cover material. The Coverstar safety cover was hidden in a sunken pit at the end of the pool so it doesn't hinder the use of the pool when not in use. In addition to the pool we also included a Caldera Martinique hot tub as another dimension to the family's indoor wet leisure experience!

Neptune Swimming Pools [email protected]

Tel: 023 80 900 106

Front Cover Pictures

If you would like one of your projects featured on the ISPE Magazine front

cover, do please let us know. Contact [email protected]



Full-inverterTM Technology (All models have softer start technology )COP up to 15 at Air 260C/Water 260C/Humidity 80%COP up to 8 at Air 150C/Water 260C/Humidity 80%

10 times quieter than a normal On/Off Heat PumpQuieter than a Domestic Fridge in Silent modeQuiet DC ventilation system and Mitsubishi DC inverter compressor

VARI SPEED - ALL MODELSFull speed at start of season for fast heating. Then Slower speedsonce pool water is near to set temperature. Resulting in slowerspeed operation and reduced running costs for rest of the season!

7 years warranty on compressor2 years parts warranty

Operates at air -70C below zeroMaximise your pool season with heatingcapabilities at Air Temp down to -70C

Head Office & Distribution Centre / 1 Church Road / Lowfield Heath / Crawley / West Sussex /RH11 0PQ

TTeell 0011229933 554466 112266 // 0011226688 227733 004400 FFaaxx 0011229933 552288 444422 // 0011226688 227733 004411eemmaaiill iinnffoo..uukk@@ssccppppooooll..ccoomm // PPOOOOLL336600

NEW WiFI CONNECTIVITY

and App for 2019

ISPE 2019 size A5_Layout 1 08/04/2019 11:13 Page 1



RON STEMPFER 1935 – 2020 A tribute by his colleague, Michael Cormacey, MISPE.

Ron was quite a character and I have known him and worked with him since the end of the last century, in his business designing swimming pools and pool buildings, in Aqua Blue Designs. He had strong opinions and could be challenging but usually for the right reasons. He liked things to be done properly.

Ron at his drawing board

Now, Ron's almost 60-year career was so full, that it's not easy to do justice to it in a short article like this, but I will try. After National Service in the RAF, Ron joined United Filters in 1960, as an Engineering draughtsman working on such projects as the Crystal Palace Sports Centre pool and large drinking water schemes in Ghana and Iraq. He then joined Gazelle Swimming Pools locally at Kingston as a designer constructing 76 pools a year, before moving on, to become a very successful freelance

salesman for Classic Pools and Riviera Pools. In 1970 he joined Nor-Cal Engineering as Sales Manager and there he was on the design team for the first UK designed GRP filter, by Lacron, which is still a brand leader. As Nor-Cal's Sales Manager, he travelled the country and made many lasting friends. Ron left Nor-Cal in 1976 to launch his own design company, Aqua Blue Designs, architectural designers for swimming pools, spas and specialist pool buildings. Many successful projects were completed in over 20 countries and some notable awards were collected on the way from our trade association, SPATA. Ron was a very active member of SPATA and made a massive contribution to updating the SPATA standards in 1999. He was an early and active member of The Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers, joining in 1980, and went on to become a Fellow in 1989 for his contributions to the industry but to the Institute in particular. Ron liked to share his experiences with others and regularly wrote about these projects for trade magazines here and abroad. He was a pioneer and in 1986 designed the very first deck level liner pool for Cascade Swimming Pools. Later he was further inspired and, in conjunction with his friend, Tony Pendleton, he conceived the idea of National Leisure, which they founded as JLP Limited and this grew into National Leisure which still is a successful nationwide purchasing group. Ron studied in detail the demanding requirements of wet

RON STEMPFER 1935 – 2020A tribute by his colleague, Michael Cormacey, MISPE.



leisure buildings and specialized in this area of construction, along with energy-efficient heating and ventilation systems. All this wasn't enough for Ron, so he started a small design and fabrication branch of the business to supply equipment for deck level commercial pools; a niche which was not being well serviced at the time.

Ron relaxing with a book

Ron gave me the 'once over' and decided he could trust me to carry the Aqua-Blue torch into the 21st century, so I under-studied him for a year or two and in 2003 purchased the company and Ron was retained as a consultant until 2017, when he decided he wanted to concentrate on his family history and his connections in Eastern France. Anyone who's anyone in his industry knew Ron and he has helped many newcomers to get a foot on the ladder. Ron has made his mark, and his presence will be sadly missed by myself and his many work friends. Ron is survived by his wife Judy, son David and daughter Kim. A memorial service was arranged at St. Mary’s Church, Worcester park, on the 21st February, 2020.

(Also see page 16.)

For more information on our products and services:

call 01254 350180 or visit www.gaffey.co.uk

Chlorination

UNCOMPROMISING WATER DISINFECTION SYSTEMS

Our pioneering electrochlorination

technology provides a low hazard

method of on-site sodium hypochlorite

production. Using only salt, water and

electricity, our innovative Hyprolyser

range delivers safety by design.



EXCLUSIVE UK REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE POOL & SPA ALLIANCE

EXCLUSIVE AND INCISIVE ARTICLES AND FEATURES

Swimming PoolSceneTHE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRYSWITCHING TO

SUBSCRIPTION-ONLY!

SUBSCRIPTION ONLYpoolandspascene.com

THE ONLY MAGAZINE REACHING BOTH

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL MARKETS

Unrivalled readership in the UK and Globally

THE NUMBER ONE READ FOR THE UK WATER LEISURE SECTOR

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE www.poolandspascene.com

The biggest print, on-line and social media audiences

ENSURE YOU CONTINUE TO RECEIVE YOUR COPY AND



2019 ISPE Awards

The ISPE awards are presented at the ISPE October Seminar. The Gartside Cup, for the Student of the Year, is presented to the student who achieved the highest overall marks in the examinations.

For 2019, two people scored an identical top mark and so there were two winners of the Gartside Cup for 2019. It was announced that unfortunately, one of them, Laura Turner, has left the Swimming Pool Industry but ISPE President Colin Day said he was pleased to say the other winner was present on the day and he congratulated George Love from Aquafayre Ltd., on his success.

George Love, TnISPE(Cert.)

The John Asher Cup, presented

to the Institute by John Asher, may be presented for an excellent exam paper on the subject of Construction. Colin announced that the person who won the cup in 2019 scored a very impressive 86% in his Construction exam and he congratulated Benoit Berbain from Guncast, presenting him with the cup.

If a winner is unable to be at the October presentations it is hoped they might attend the ISPE November seminar, where their prize will be sprung on them, or perhaps the re-

presentation of the ISPE awards as part of the SPATA/BISHTA Annual Gala Dinner and Awards evening, held each year after the first day of SPATEX.

Benoit Berbain, TnISPE(Cert.) The Jim Johnson Filtration

Shield may be presented for an excellent Filtration exam paper and the winner, whilst not be able to be at any of the other presentation opportunities was present on the first day of SPATEX 2020. Colin Day made the impromptu presentation to Michael Tapping of Trutec Pools & Leisure who scored an amazing 95% in his filtration exam.

Michael Tapping, TnISPE(Cert.)

receives the Jim Johnson Filtration Shield during SPATEX 2020

2019 ISPE Awards



Filtration Plant of Commercial Hydrotherapy & Sports Fitness Pools

Filtration Plant of Commercial Hydrotherapy & Sports Fitness Pools

By Richard Bishop, MISPE (Adapted from a presentation at the 123rd ISPE One-Day Seminar, November 2019)

Introduction Hydrotherapy has been used across time and in all civilisations from Egyptian bathing, Roman baths which then led to Ottoman baths to Japanese high temperature onsens down to ice bathing promoted by Wim Hof the “Ice Man” and professional sports using cryotherapy for accelerated recovery. In the UK we are witnessing a growth in hydrotherapy bathing for senior living communities, recreational wellness spas and sports hydro and physiotherapy in sports teams. Hydrotherapy has the advantage of delivering heat or taking heat away from the body along with supporting the bathers’ weight to minimise load bearing on painful joints or injuries and delivers resistance 15 times greater than that on land. The great Muhammad Ali recognised the benefits of shadow boxing underwater to work his muscle groups against the water resistance, increase his punching speed on land and improve his stamina Professional sports teams are always looking for a process system or equipment to enhance performance, as even if it is only 1 or 2%, that could be enough for success or failure. We work with SwimEx Pools, a sports performance and recovery pool system that has installed pools for elite teams like Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox and in the UK with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stoke City and the British Special Forces.

Sports physiotherapists are looking to accelerate the recovery of the athletes post training or in between matches or events. The use of cold water or ice bathing is said to accelerate recovery by around 1 day in a 7 day turnaround. This processs is known as D.O.M.S. - Delayed onset of muscle soreness. By using cold water immediately after a match or training the combination of cold and deep water bathing delivering hydrostatic presssure on the muscle groups delays the escape of lactic acidosis into the muscle tissue. The following day the athletes continue ice bathing intermittently with a warm water plunge pool. The key considerations are cooling the water to an optimum 8°C and water depth of at least 1.0m to induce enough hydrostatic pressure on the leg muscles. This is why a traditional lounger style bath is not as effective.

The ice bath at Molineux Stadium –

Wolves FC

By Richard Bishop, MISPE(Adapted from a presentation at the 123rd ISPE One-Day Seminar, November 2019)



We also work with resistance pools to enhance hydrotherapy and peak performance training, enhancing and increasing the water resistance with powered water. There are 4 key ways water flow or resistance can be introduced in a pool: 1) Powered jets 2) Propellor systems 3) Paddlewheel, like a paddle steamer 4) Powered underwater treadmills for aqua running A well designed commercial hydrotherapy pool will have to cater for and protect potentially vulnerable post-operative patients. Points to note: 1) Variable depth work stations 2) Deep wells to enable vertical suspension of, typically, wheelchair bound and spinal injured patients 3) Pool filtration should have a maximum turnover rate of 60 – 90 minutes 4) The filtration rate should be no more than 25m3/m2/hr through a minimum filter bed of 1.0m (preferably 1.20m) to ensure a longer contact time across the media 5) Pre-flocculation is essential to help filter out pseudonomas 6) Deck level pools deliver optimum water turnover dealing with the mass pollution that concentrates in the top 200mm of bathing water 7) Hydrotherapy water is typically around 32-37°C and, as a result,

bacteria can grow 8-10 times faster than a recreational pool. This means water treatment design is critical for bather safety 8) P.W.T.A.G. recommend chlorination of hydrotherapy pools with hypochlorites, not Bromine, due to the elongated exposure therapists experience in the pool water 9) pH should be kept and controlled on the lower end of the scale to 7.20 to enhance the efficacy and kill rate of the Chlorine 10) Ideally, the pool water should be screened with a 100% pass UV system post filter to help ensure bacteria do not pass from the filter especially after backwashing into the pool. Pipe & pool fitting flow design – P.W.T.A.G. 2018 Suction flow rates on suction fittings should not exceed 0.50m/s Suction pipe flow rates no more than 1.50m/s Delivery pipe flow rates no more than 2.50m/s For ease of specification I have drafted a simple table to select the correct pipe size for the flow required (table available from the ISPE office [email protected]). Filtration Commercial filtration should have a minimum bed depth of 1.0m,

t. +44 (0)1621 856611 e. [email protected] www.danthermgroup.co.uk

PROVIDING TAILORED SWIMMING POOL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR POOL PROJECT



preferably 1.20m, and operating below 25m3/m2/hr. (Please see filter table, available from the ISPE Office, for ease of accurate filter specification across the typical models available on the market.) Media 1) ‘OC-1’ plastic modules – this media relies on a shelving process; in effect the debris falls and lays on the multiple shelf sites across the media bed like dust on a book shelf – tested to 80% screen down to only 20 microns. 2) ‘Zeoclere’ is a natural hydrothermal mineral-rich stone with a highly porous nature that can trap fine particles and as an added benefit present ion exchange for chemical screening of ammonia and other pollutants by exchanging sodium on its surface with ammonia in the water. Lowering the ammonia will reduce the chlorine demand. 3) Silica sand 16/30 grade & Pea Gravel – traditional method of filtration but can be prone to clogging or balling especially where massage oils are used in wellness spas - sand will filter down to approximately 20-10 micron with flocculation. 4) Glass pearls – spherical virgin glass balls that are claimed to filter down to 3 microns. 5) ‘A.F.M Activated Filter Media’ – this recycled glass option offers an environmental positive whilst the advanced coating forms a biostat to help prevent biofilms forming on the media surface. This media has been tested to 1-3 microns. The finer you can cleanse the water the lower the chlorine demand will be on the treatment system. Flocculation pre-filter is highly recommended on all systems to help coagulate smaller bacteria and pseudonomas and cryptosporidium. The floc should be added directly to

the water at a rate of 0.10ml per m3/hr of filtration flow rate. Backwashing & Rinse The filters should be backwashed weekly or more often where required. The flow rate on ‘AFM’, ‘Zeoclere’ and traditional sand is above 40m3/m2/hr to ensure good fluidisation and media cleansing. Glass spheres backwash at lower rates of around 25m3/m2/hr. The media should be rinsed thereafter at a similar rate to enable the bed to setttle and to flush remaining debris from the filter tank and avoiding it escaping into the pool chamber. Pool filtration pumps or combinations of pumps should be specified to deliver filter rates of 25m3/m2/hr and the higher backwash rates of 45m3/m2/hr. This can be by multiple pumps or by invertor speed control, low speeds for filtration and higher speeds for backwashing. A flow meter like a ‘FlowVis’ in-line meter is essential for accurate delivery and operation of the required filtration flow rates. This unique flowmeter or pool speedometer is not dependent on long straight pipe runs away from bends or turbulance for installation and ideal for typical restricted pool plant rooms. Backwashing can form part of the Public Health bather dilution rate of 30 litres per bather per day. Water Treatment Primary water treatment should be by Chlorine as Hypochlorites – Calcium Hypochloirte at a 2% continually agitated solution or Sodium Hypochlorite 14/15% with fast stock rotation to minimise deterioration of Chlorine content. Due to both chlorine donors having high pH levels, of 11 for Calcium Hypochlorite and 13 for Sodium Hypochlorite, the pH of the pool water is typically driven upwards



over time. To combat this the pH should be corrected with an acid donor of Sulphuric Acid at 10% or an agitated 10% solution made from Sodium Bisulphate. The pH should be maintained at 7.20 to enhance the Chlorine efficacy. Public Health suggest going lower to 7.0, however caution should be noted as this will typically invalidate pool filtration and heating equipment warranties. Good Langelier water balance should be observed at all times for bather comfort and to ensure a safer more comfortable working environment for the therapists. Secondary treatment is recommended with 100% pass UV systems to screen the water as it exits the filters. This should not be a by- pass or slipstream system which may permit bacteria to pass into the pool body. Microbiological monitoring Hydrotherapy pool waters should be sampled and tested weekly by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. 1) Total viable count @ 37°C – this should not exceed 100 cfu/ml 2) Total viable count @ 22°C – this should not exceed 100 cfu/ml 3) Coliforms – these should be preferably absent in 100ml 4) And not exceed 10 per 100ml unless investigated and action taken 5) E.Coli – these should be absent in 100ml

6) Pseudomonas - these should be preferably absent in 100ml and not exceed 10 per 100ml unless investigated and action taken. Every 3 months the water should be tested for Legionella bacterium as part of L8. If a test comes back as unsatisfactory, the treatment system should be investigated and a second verification test sent for testing as soon as practical. If a second test comes back unsatisfactory the pool should be closed. A full audit of the filtration and water treatment plant should be carried out and appraised of its operation including water dilution. I hope this presentation has highlighted some of the industry requirements and guidance to observe if involved in hydrotherapy pools. Richard Bishop, MISPE

Aqua Thermae - Caring for Wellness & Spa

SwimEx - Professional Sports Wellbeing Swim Spas and Plunge Pools

iPhone 0044 (0) 7484 070765 Office 0044 (0) 1989 770909

[email protected] www.aquathermae.co.uk

www.swimex.com

(The original presentation and various tables referred to are available from [email protected], on request. Figures quoted regarding specific products, such as filter media are the author’s work and not verified or disputed by ISPE.)



DON’T MISS OUT ON YOUR OWN COPY OF

SAVE

£££’SSUBSCRIBE

TODAY & GET YOUR

SECOND YEAR

HALF PRICE!

Your SPN contacts are:For editorial enquiries contact Jon Wadeson on 020 8306 8150 or email [email protected]

For advertising enquiries contact Tony Weston on 01474 813433 or email [email protected]

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE UK INDUSTRY

An annual subscription to SPNcosts just £30 (UK) – andrepresents terrific value for themost respected and establishedtitle in the industry.

Every issue of SPN is packed full of essential information from the UK andglobal pool and spa industry – can you afford not to have your own copy?

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND YOU WILL:• Never miss an issue• Pay no charge for post and packaging (UK)• Have you own copy delivered direct to your door (home or office)• Benefit from our satisfaction guarantee – your money back for any unmailed issues• Receive your copy at least a week before our ‘virtual’ edition goes live

SUBSCRIBING TO SPN COULDN’T BE EASIER...Just visit our website at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk and click on any ofthe ‘subscription’ links. You can pay online with any major credit card usingour secure PayPal checkout – it’ll only take a couple of minutes!

A5 SPN SUBS AD 2018.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2018 12:26 Page 1



Wilson’s Words of Wisdom Have test kit, will travel!

‘No names, no pack drill’ is now a vastly out of date expression that has been overtaken by phrases such as ‘what goes on, on tour, stays on tour’, ‘when you are in it up to your ears, keep your mouth shut’, etc. etc. Anyway, I was asked to do an inspection of a small hotel far, far away that was closed due to a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. This hotel was, to say the least, pretty ancient and basically qualified as being of ‘antediluvian’ vintage. Two things that struck me about my assignation was the faded, dated wall paper in the hotel reception and the plague of ‘under a Euro’ shops in the streets around the hotel.

To demonstrate its age, the hotel still had a ‘feed & expansion’ tank in the roof space supplying water to rooms and the hot water system was heated from the hotel’s boilers. Now, I have always contended that the first, ‘best thing’ (second best thing later) about being in Europe was the ‘combi’ boiler that meant you could have copious volumes of hot water allowing you to stay under the shower basically for ever and ever and ever. The more mature (elderly) amongst us can remember when, on a Friday night we would be having a bath prior to going out, liberally deluged in ‘Hai Karate’, on the pull, only to be harangued by

Wilson’s Words of Wisdom



sisters shrieking “don’t use all that hot water, I’ve got a date!” To continue: I calculated the capacity of the tank and pipework as I wished to take the chlorine level up to 40 mg/l. This hotel had eight bedrooms all complete with en-suite showers and the shower heads were artistically coated in scale, providing a utopian, organic breeding place for the Legionella pneumophila bacteria to replicate by binary fission. Binary fission is a non-sexual form of reproduction where the bacteria elongates and splits forming two ‘daughter’ cells that continue the reproductive process whilst space and nutrients are available. So I availed myself of a local version of Domestos and poured two litres of it into the F&E tank and then opened taps and showers in bedrooms until I could observe the potent bouquet of chlorinated water emitting from them. I removed the flexible shower hoses and dumped them as I was unable to tell whether they contained a rubber tube (again an organic material) inside the chrome sleeving. These I cheaply replaced from a local Chinese supermarket that sold everything from Domestos to wet suits. I removed the scaled- up shower heads and put them to soak in a washing up bowl, (also available from the Chinese outlet) containing diet Pepsi (you know me; a slave to my diet), strangely also available from said Chinese outlet. Within hours, the scale was gone and the heads looked once again pristine. I then put them in a clean washing up bowl and poured a kettle full of boiling water over them. They were now de-scaled

and sterile and once again ‘fit for purpose’. Returning to the tap and shower outlets and using a DPD No 1 tablet, I found there was no trace of chlorine. I then put a further two litres into the F&E tank, flushed them through again until I knew chlorine was present and left it overnight. I then re-tested the outlets the following morning and found there was still a good level of chlorine present and so it was now safe for me to take a shower, although the hot water did not last for long. The following morning, loaded up with Veterano Brandy, Golden Virginia and four 500ml samples of water for analysis in the UK, I boarded a plane and was home in time for dinner. A rule I always observe when staying in various hotels is: when I enter my bedroom, I put down my case and, holding my breath, go into the bathroom and turn on all of the taps. Leave the bathroom, closing the door behind me and exhale. Leave for five minutes and during that time remove the thousands of cushions the hotel now puts on the bed to annoy me and throw them into the far corner of the bedroom and eat the courtesy chocolate, lying on the bed. Go back into the bathroom and turn off the taps and hopefully live forever! (On the next page is my 12 point tick box plan for controlling Legionnaires’ Disease.) Oh you ask, what was the second good thing about being in Europe? My Latvian cleaning lady on £4.90 per hour!

Allen Wilson, FISPE See www.studiesinwork.co.uk



Studies in Work - 12 Point Legionnaires’ Plan Reducing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease

The risk of Legionnaires’ disease can be minimised. The programme to minimise risk of Legionella includes the 12 points recommended by Studies In Work for sites without cooling towers or similar. Yes No Comments Have one named person responsible for Legionella control.

Name of person: ...................................

Ensure the named person is trained in the control of Legionella and other staff are trained to be aware of the importance of their role in controlling Legionella.

Keep hot water hot and circulating at all times: 50ºC – 60ºC.

Keep cold water cold at all times throughout the system: it should be maintained at temperatures below 20ºC

Keep shower heads, hoses and taps clean and free from scale.

Run all taps and showers: in guest rooms run for several minutes at least once a week if they are unoccupied and always prior to occupation.

Clean and disinfect water heaters (calorifiers) and hot water storage tanks at least once a year.

Disinfect the hot water system with a high level (50mg/l) of chlorine for 2–4 hours after work on water heaters and before the beginning of every season.

Inspect the inside of cold water tanks at least once a year and clean. If they contain a deposit or are otherwise dirty, disinfect with 50mg/l chlorine for a minimum of 1 hour.

Ensure that system modifications or new installations do not create pipe-work with intermittent or no water flow or insufficient capacity to cope with surges in requirement.

Daily records of all property water treatment readings such as temperature and chlorine concentrations should be kept and checked regularly by the manager.

If there is a spa pool/hot tub ensure that it is continuously treated with a minimum of 2–3mg/l chlorine or bromine and the pH is maintained at 7.0–7.6 and the levels are monitored at least three times a day.

Approved and signed: ....................................................

Studies in Work - 12 Point Legionnaires’ Plan Reducing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease

The risk of Legionnaires’ disease can be minimised. The programme to minimise risk of Legionella includes the 12 points recommended by Studies In Work for sites without cooling towers or similar. Yes No Comments Have one named person responsible for Legionella control.

Name of person: ...................................

Ensure the named person is trained in the control of Legionella and other staff are trained to be aware of the importance of their role in controlling Legionella.

Keep hot water hot and circulating at all times: 50ºC – 60ºC.

Keep cold water cold at all times throughout the system: it should be maintained at temperatures below 20ºC

Keep shower heads, hoses and taps clean and free from scale.

Run all taps and showers: in guest rooms run for several minutes at least once a week if they are unoccupied and always prior to occupation.

Clean and disinfect water heaters (calorifiers) and hot water storage tanks at least once a year.

Disinfect the hot water system with a high level (50mg/l) of chlorine for 2–4 hours after work on water heaters and before the beginning of every season.

Inspect the inside of cold water tanks at least once a year and clean. If they contain a deposit or are otherwise dirty, disinfect with 50mg/l chlorine for a minimum of 1 hour.

Ensure that system modifications or new installations do not create pipe-work with intermittent or no water flow or insufficient capacity to cope with surges in requirement.

Daily records of all property water treatment readings such as temperature and chlorine concentrations should be kept and checked regularly by the manager.

If there is a spa pool/hot tub ensure that it is continuously treated with a minimum of 2–3mg/l chlorine or bromine and the pH is maintained at 7.0–7.6 and the levels are monitored at least three times a day.

Approved and signed: ....................................................

Studies in Work - 12 Point Legionnaires’ Plan



ObituaryObituary Ronald Stempfer, FISPE

4th June 1935 - 27th January 2020 We were very sorry to hear that Ronald Stempfer died on 27th January. Ron had been an ISPE member pretty much since day one of the Institute’s formation and was known to many of our members and others throughout the pool and spa industry, having started in the pool trade back in April 1960.

Ron Stempfer, FISPE

Much has been written about Ron in these pages over the years, such was Ron’s enormous contribution to the Institute and the industry as a whole, and back in April 2018 (ISPE Magazine Vol. 29, No. 1) there was a profile of Ron, outlining his lengthy career in the pool trade (available on the ISPE website). Over the years Ron attended numerous ISPE Seminars including the first one, at Rutherford’s premises in Battle, East Sussex, back in 1981 and he can be seen in

the landmark group photo taken by John Dawes on the day.

Ron, seen fourth from the left

Ron was happy to offer advice and help to ISPE members and in fact it was reported in the ISPE Magazine some time ago how, when I first joined the Institute full-time, back in 1989, I had three business cards taped to my desk drawer, of people I could ask for advice, which I did in those days on a regular basis. They were Founder President, John Wilkins, long-time ISPE Council member and Past-President, John Lamb and, of course, Ron. The 24th ISPE One-Day Seminar in October 1989 attracted a huge number of delegates, over 170 in fact, and the morning session took the part of a play where a Football Pools winner, played by Ron (of ‘Wonalot Manor’!) was taking advice on his planned new swimming pool. Other keen participants on the day included John Asher, FISPE, as the Pool Builder, Derek Shaw, MISPE, as the Architect and ISPE Founder member, John Fowler, FISPE, as the Devil’s Advocate. This extremely informative and entertaining event



turned out to be the best attended Institute seminar to date and is still talked about by many.

Ron acting as the pools winner.

Ron was always happy to help out at ISPE seminars and in the 1990s when a display seminar was planned at the Hatfield Lodge Hotel, Ron’s was the first name on the list.

Gerry Williams, Ron and Bill Hales

Ron was always a keen participant in Institute events and was a regular winner in the days when the Institute ran a series of ‘Design Drawing’ competitions, with some of his designs displayed on the walls of the ISPE stand at various exhibitions back in the 1990s. I was delighted to meet up with Ron about a year ago the night before an ISPE Seminar near Hemel Hempstead, and we dined together

in the pub opposite the seminar venue. We had a very interesting evening and Ron told me many, many stories of days gone by, companies, people and products, from his vast experience and incredible memory, a real mine of information. In the last few months, Ron’s health was not so good but he still telephoned the ISPE office every few weeks to give me an update on his trips to one of three hospitals he was under and even as recently as early January he spoke on the telephone to me for nearly an hour, still regaling me with stories and incidents from his near sixty year career in the pool trade. Over the last thirty years when- ever I spoke with Ron, and many others will know this too, I think the one subject that he brought up nearly every time was his questioning why (virtually) all swimming pools these days are rectangular! This was a real bug-bear to Ron and he was an advocate of different, non-rectangular, pool shapes having, I believe, a portfolio of around 360 free-form shapes that he could call upon in his days as a pool salesman and later as a pool designer. He told me many times how a pool sale to a customer turned from a basic rectangle that the customer had assumed they would be getting, to a much more interesting free-form design which Ron championed so much. The huge contribution that Ron made to the pool trade and to the Institute in particular will never be forgotten and those of us who knew Ron and spent time with him will fondly remember him for many years to come. Ross Alcock - March, 2020.



ISPE Seminar ReportsISPE Seminar Reports

The 122nd ISPE One Day Seminar was held back in October 2019 at the popular Watermill Hotel, near Hemel Hempstead, Herts. Allen Wilson, FISPE, dis-cussed why simply reading and recording water testing results does not go far enough in preventative or corrective water treatment and explained that records need to be kept for five years (HSE advice) and can be used to identify trends (e.g. swimming load and temperature for outdoor pools).

More words of wisdom from Allen

Jimmy Lamb, TnISPE(Cert.), looked at by-products of water treatment, including TDS, Combined Chlorine, Sulphates, Chlorides, Metals and Phosphates. ISPE President, Colin Day, FISPE, continued this theme and demonstrated how to measure these substances in the water and how to deal with them. After the short AGM and 2019 ISPE Awards, Chris Carr, FISPE, showed that water quality is not just about chemical treatment, as the correct circulation of pool water is also vital, and he covered some of

the most important issues in this area. Tim Fielder - Product Development Manager of Plastipack, creators of the GeoBubble™, explained, in a commercial presentation, the differences between cover types, and gave an insight into their testing and the energy, resources and cost savings they provide.

Tim Fielder - Plastipack Ltd.

A summary of Tim’s presentation appeared in the January ISPE Magazine. 123 and counting The Institute’s 123rd One-Day Seminar took place in November in Clevedon, North Somerset, and featured a number of presentations on spas and or hot tubs.

Colin Jenkinson, MISPE



Colin Jenkinson, MISPE, reviewed the guidance set out in HSG 282 and PWTAG’s ‘Hot Tubs for Business’ book and considered the practical operational implications for commercial operators. Jimmy Lamb gave advice and shared information that may provide reassurance to prospective first time hot tub owners. Allen Wilson looked at how to avoid common problems and prevent or rectify them, including: under or over-chlorination/ bromination; the problems with high or low pH; problems with over stabilisation; bacterial problems and avoiding health problems in both domestic and commercial situations. Howard Gosling, FISPE, looked at the differences between domestic hot tubs and commercial spas, comparing domestic and commercial units, in terms of their water treatment regime and their suitability for uses in different situations, including when domestic equipment may be used for business purposes. A summary of Howard’s presentation appears in this issue (see page 26). This seminar also featured a special presentation to Yanek Kowal as reported in the last issue.

Howard Gosling at Clevedon

Richard Bishop, MISPE, rounded up an excellent day and highlighted the important considerations of filtration & treatment plant to ensure compliance with commercial guidance for professional sports fitness and hydrotherapy pools and a summary of his presentation also appears in this issue (see page 8).

Richard Bishop, MISPE



Novel Coronavirus - (Covid-19) and Aquatic Facilities

By Allen Wilson, FISPE I have been contacted by a number of colleagues and customers, who basically are asking if the water in their pools and hot tubs is treated with anti-viral chemicals. Also, whether a virus like this can survive in a steam room and sauna. Would chlorinated/filtered water kill off this virus if an infected customer were to enter the spa or pool? Would a steam room or sauna be a breeding ground for this virus to potentially spread? Allen J Wilson FISPE, Tech IOSH, MInstSRM commented as follows: Before I say anything, I will stress that using well maintained and disinfected pools and spas is good for you. Not enough is known as yet about the current strain of Coronavirus and its vectors. Under these circumstances we can only revert to what we do know and to best practise in order to limit its transmission. In principle, person to person transmission is airborne but, the airborne component includes transmission via any exhaled mucous from sneezing etc. The mucous therefore becomes the vector on any surface, hands, handrails etc. that it lands on. This mucous is, of course, a soluble biofilm. This is why the advice, ‘use a tissue and then bin it’, is so important. Our best, most effective chemical means of penetrating and detaching biofilm is Chlorine dioxide (ClO2). A more rigorous approach to routine housekeeping that includes regular chlorine dioxide treatment is therefore strongly recommended. Filters should be backwashed after ClO2 treatment and chlorine dosage should be maintained at normal levels. A ClO2 wash can also be used for all surfaces in changing rooms and pool surrounds. A well-run pool may already be using routine low level ClO2 treatment on a monthly basis. In high use pools it

may be worth increasing the frequency of treatment and, in spas, a weekly treatment would not be too often. Chlorine is not that effective where biofilms are present and this is why I am here advocating Chlorine Dioxide. Coronavirus is not new and was first discovered prior to WW2. These type of viruses, such as the Rhinovirus, are typically responsible for common colds, more so than serious diseases. However, corona viruses are also behind some more severe outbreaks. viral shedding can occur a few days before symptoms become recognisable. viral shedding in this instance refers to shedding the virus from bodies into the environment where the viruses may infect others. Over recent years, research has indicated that corona viruses can infect many types of animals. In some cases, these animals can transmit corona viruses to humans. Diagnosis of the Coronavirus is by taking a sample of respiratory fluids, such as mucus from the nose, or blood for analysis. This virus appears to favour low temperatures rather than heat and this Winter in Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated, has been particularly cold. Children appear to be much less affected and it is believed that this may be because they have higher metabolic rate and are more active. The elderly and people with chronic illness have a lower basal metabolic rate (BMR) and due to this they have a higher incidence and mortality rate. This is why my wife and I paid £70.00 each for Pneumonia jabs this week. We worked on the theory that this was far cheaper than a funeral! Allen Wilson is a Health & Safety consultant and is not medically qualified. Please note that this magazine was put together around 11-13th March and advice may have changed since then.

Novel Coronavirus - (Covid-19)and Aquatic Facilities


ISPE MAGAZINE Vol. 31 No. 1 21Tel: 0300 1240500 | E-Mail: [email protected] www.evoquawater.co.uk

EFFICIENT AQUATIC SOLUTIONS - SAVING YOU MONEY WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON TREATMENT QUALITYAQUATIC SOLUTIONS THAT WORK AS HARD AS YOUR SWIMMERS

Pool plant room equipment needs to provide more than the minimum treatment requirements. Evoqua‘s range of aquatic solutions can provide efficiencies to your bottom line through energy savings, reduction in chemical costs, water savings, and space efficient designs.

DEPOLOX® and Ezetrol® controllers provide control of VSD’s for increased energy efficiency, CEDOX provides chemical savings, only dosing what is required.

OSEC® systems provide a safe, on site, on demand solution for disinfection generation without the need to handle chemicals.

The Wafer™ system offers a compact UV treatment solution designed to provide a 99.9% inactivation of chlorine resistant microorganisms such as Crypto and Giardia.

Defender® filtration saves on space and delivers energy and chemical savings to ensure the best in water filtration.

Advert ideas - EE Final 1.indd 3 20/12/2019 12:07:22



Product Profile Evoqua filters the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is an indoor water park located in the Bluestone National Park Resort in Canaston Wood in Pembrokeshire. It features a lazy river ride that takes bathers on a meandering journey outside Blue Lagoon to an outdoor bubble pool. There are indoor and outdoor spa pools, two interactive wet play areas, a wave pool, with six different wave patterns and four different flumes.

The Blue Lagoon

Water conservation is an important factor at Blue lagoon. Being a facility with a high bather load, with up to 2500 bathers per day including children, water clarity is essential and Evoqua’s pool water filtration system was designed to ensure crystal clear, safe water for the pools and to minimise water consumption, reduce energy demand and minimise chemical use. The Blue Lagoon has two circulation systems, each using the Defender® filter. One of the systems has two SP-55-48-2076 filters handling a combined 515m3/h,

whilst the second has a single SP-27-48-487 filter for a flow of 120m3/h. The filter uses capillary-shaped filter surfaces precoated with Perlite, a harmless volcanic magma. When a filter requires cleaning, this is carried out by a unique “bumping” process which mechanically shakes off the separated particles and Perlite and suspends it in the filter tank. The Perlite is then reattached to the filter elements during the regeneration cycle and the Defender® system is ready to return to service. The process is fully automatic, initiated by a timer, which means there is no requirement for a manual procedure, either before or after the centre’s operational hours. The cleaning process takes about ten minutes and generates significantly less waste water than a conventional sand filter backwash. Consequently, a backwash water tank is not required for the Defender® filter, so the balance tank can be much smaller. The low waste water volume also means that less heated water is wasted, improving the overall energy efficiency. By comparison with a comparable conventional sand filter, the Defender® system has a much smaller footprint. This was a major benefit at the construction phase of the project because it meant that the plant room could be smaller, freeing up space for offices

Product ProfileEvoqua filters the Blue Lagoon



and storage. “Sympathetic landscaping is a critical part of our philosophy and this redeployment of space meant key personnel and critical spares were close to the facility at all times”, explains Blue Lagoon. “We rely on Defender® regenerative media filters to ensure our water remains crystal clear for our swimmers’ enjoyment and their safety. This type of equipment allows the team to focus their time on making the customers’ experience a special one.”

Defender Filter

Evoqua Water Technologies,

Genesis House, Richmond Hill, Pemberton, Wigan,

Lancashire WN5 8AA Tel +44 (0)1942 216161 [email protected]

www.evoqua.com www.atguv.com

About Evoqua Water Technologies

Evoqua Water Technologies is a leading provider of mission-critical water and wastewater treatment solutions, offering a broad portfolio of products, services and expertise to support industrial, municipal and recreational customers who value water. Evoqua has worked to protect water, the environment and its employees for more than 100 years, earning a reputation for quality, safety and reliability around the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company operates in more than 160 locations across nine countries. Serving more than 200,000 installations worldwide, our employees are united by a common purpose: Transforming Water. Enriching Life.® ©Evoqua Water Technologies LLC 2019

LEAK DETECTION&

PRESSURE TESTINGEQUIPMENT HIRE AND

SALESCOMPREHENSIVE ON-SITE

SERVICE

’Phone for free Leak Detector!

UNIPOOLS LTD621 Watford Way

Mill HillLondon NW7 3JNTel: 020 8959 8686Fax: 020 8959 2037



New Members and Students We extend a very warm welcome to all those who have recently joined or re-joined the Institute. Please contact [email protected] if you would like details about the ISPE.

Allen, A. Aqua Platinum Projects Brothers, L. Rigo Spa Brown, J.R. Rigo Spa Burns, R. Grayfox Swimming Pools Ltd. Carlisle, K. Pollet Pool Group Cutts, M.A. Leisuresafe Solutions Du Preez, R.C. Buckingham Pools Favata, L. Lagoon Pools Ltd. Goulbourn, L. Panache Pools Ltd. Harper, S. Rigo Spa Hudson, R. Rod Hudson Pools Keay, S.A. Lew Keay & Sons (LKS Pools) Latham, A.C. Abstergo Consultancy Ltd. Love, O. Aqua Platinum Projects Monks, B. Elm Leisure Ltd. Morgan, M. Neuman Aqua Ltd. Pendrill, B. SJ Pool Services Plessis, J. City Pools, Roberts, R.L. Rigo Spa Tuttey, E. Beaver International Ltd. Vickers, K. Azure Pools & Hot Tubs Ltd. Vickers, S. Azure Pools & Hot Tubs Ltd. Ward, L. Rigo Spa Wilcock, M. Rigo Spa

What Do You Do All Day? For the purposes of assessing workshops and seminars that are of best use to the membership we would be grateful if you could help us establish the spread of works undertaken by our members. Please therefore tick the following boxes that describes work that you are responsible for in your company and about which informative presentations may be of interest. Feel free to add others in the box provided and then scan and email to [email protected].

Activity Domestic Commercial Management/Administration Design, drawings Construction Finishes Filtration Pipework and fittings Electrical works Heating/boilers, etc. Chemical treatments & UV, etc. Environmental control Service/Maintenance/Cleaning Covers Health & Safety

New Members and Students We extend a very warm welcome to all those who have recently joined or re-joined the Institute. Please contact [email protected] if you would like details about the ISPE.

Allen, A. Aqua Platinum Projects Brothers, L. Rigo Spa Brown, J.R. Rigo Spa Burns, R. Grayfox Swimming Pools Ltd. Carlisle, K. Pollet Pool Group Cutts, M.A. Leisuresafe Solutions Du Preez, R.C. Buckingham Pools Favata, L. Lagoon Pools Ltd. Goulbourn, L. Panache Pools Ltd. Harper, S. Rigo Spa Hudson, R. Rod Hudson Pools Keay, S.A. Lew Keay & Sons (LKS Pools) Latham, A.C. Abstergo Consultancy Ltd. Love, O. Aqua Platinum Projects Monks, B. Elm Leisure Ltd. Morgan, M. Neuman Aqua Ltd. Pendrill, B. SJ Pool Services Plessis, J. City Pools, Roberts, R.L. Rigo Spa Tuttey, E. Beaver International Ltd. Vickers, K. Azure Pools & Hot Tubs Ltd. Vickers, S. Azure Pools & Hot Tubs Ltd. Ward, L. Rigo Spa Wilcock, M. Rigo Spa

What Do You Do All Day? For the purposes of assessing workshops and seminars that are of best use to the membership we would be grateful if you could help us establish the spread of works undertaken by our members. Please therefore tick the following boxes that describes work that you are responsible for in your company and about which informative presentations may be of interest. Feel free to add others in the box provided and then scan and email to [email protected].

Activity Domestic Commercial Management/Administration Design, drawings Construction Finishes Filtration Pipework and fittings Electrical works Heating/boilers, etc. Chemical treatments & UV, etc. Environmental control Service/Maintenance/Cleaning Covers Health & Safety

New Members and Students

What Do You Do All Day?



ARGONAUTPUMP

®

The UK’s Leading IndependentSwimming Pool Manufacturer and Distributor

01424 857802 [email protected] 875858 www.plasticapools.net.plasticapools.net



Common Misconceptions About Hot Tubs in Business

By Howard Gosling, FISPE

This article is based on Howard’s presentation at the 123rd ISPE One-Day Seminar in November 2019. The word “spa” is often used currently by the beauty market to indicate beauty treatment salons. Scandinavian spas are traditionally made of wood and the water is heated by an external source such as a log burner (see page 34 of ‘Hot Tubs for Business’ from www.PWTAG.org). Hot tubs were originally wooden tubs but many “spa” manufacturers have increasingly used the words “hot tub” to describe their factory-built products. More recently, some have been described as electric hot tubs to differentiate them from the Scandinavian spas (which may have an acrylic liner). The European Standard EN 17125:2018 states “in different parts of the world, the term “Spa”, “Hot Tub” and “Whirlpool” can be used interchangeably or in combination to describe the wide range of products in the marketplace, such as spas listed in the scope of the Standard”. In a second note, it states that “some spas may include hydro-massage jets”. The European Standard carries definitions. A ‘whirlpool’ bath is cleaned and drained after each use. The word “portable” in relation to hot tubs is no longer used

because the International Standards body, which includes non-EU members, has defined “portable” as weighing not more than 15 kilos! We sometimes now refer to normal factory-made rigid hot tubs as electric hot tubs or electric spas, but that terminology will gradually come in. Legionnaires' Disease was first identified in 1976 and the first hot tub outbreak in the UK was in 1984 and the HSE had been giving advice on this for a long time before it updated L8 and published in the year 2000. The latest revision was in 2013. The word “commercial” is best left to where one requires a commercial spa and otherwise, if we are talking of hot tubs, one refers to business premises. Many spa and hot tub manufacturers’ instructions are inadequate, which is one of the reasons why “Hot Tubs for Business” was published by PWTAG in December 2018. I find that it answers an awful lot of the queries that have arisen and continue to arise. Although hot tubs, where there is no financial gain, are specifically excluded in HSG 282, there is still the overall caveat that exists in a holiday park so the owner of the site has to be sure that any privately owned hot tubs are properly looked after and the only way really that can be done is by looking after the, at least twice daily

Common Misconceptions About Hot Tubs in Business

By Howard Gosling, FISPE



checks, himself as site owner, even if the lodge with hot tubs is not owned by the park. SPATA and BISHTA have fairly clear delineations in that SPATA used to deal with all spas but when BISHTA was formed, they look after the factory-made hot tubs (and indeed, later Swimspas), whereas a commercial spa or a domestic spa built-on-site, come under SPATA Standards. There is no such thing as a “commercial hot tub”. The easy way to see what is required is to imagine an hotel; if each bedroom has its own hot tub, that is fine. If several bedrooms want to share a spa pool, then a commercial spa is required. If you are worried about the chlorine coming out of spas then there are de-chlorination devices available to attach to hot tubs, although my feeling is that if you are emptying a hot tub on a Monday morning there will be very little chlorine or bromine in it and what is in it will be quickly neutralised by any dirt or soil, although the ideal would be to put it down into the drainage system - so long as it does not go to a cesspit or septic tank! Different holiday lodge sites seem to have different periods of heavy use, for example, some sites do not allow the use of the hot tub after 9 o'clock at night, mainly because of the noise factor, whereas other sites welcome people to use the hot tub at any time of the day or night and the heaviest use on those sites is usually after the pubs have closed!

The purpose of micro-biological tests is to ensure that the normal routine of free disinfectant residual and pH value (not pH level) is adequate to ensure the water is safe, not only for bathers but for anyone in the vicinity. The fact that the water will have been thrown away before the lab results (UKAS accredited) come through does not matter. It is proving that your normal routines are keeping the hot tub healthy and safe for the bathers. Having been on the Group developing HSG 282 over several years, it was very disappointing that the HSE would not include wood fired hot tubs, if only to say they are not really suitable. Now people should use the European Standard BS EN 17125: 2018 which is available from the BSI, or less expensively, the Estonian Centre for Standardisation for 19.75 Euros, so there really is no excuse for not having a copy and following the advice in terms of maximum of 5 hours including heating time for Scandinavian spas. Plastic lined wood fired hot tubs are not particularly new, they have been available for some years, but they do not provide circulation and so the 5 hour restriction on their use still applies. There was a manufacturer of wood fired hot tubs from Finland on the European Working Group that developed these European Stand-ards EN 17125, but it has taken 20 years following the Dutch outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease to get European-wide Standards developed!



ISPE Revision Seminar - ReportISPE Revision Seminar - Report Back in February, around 25 delegates headed to Hemel Hempstead, Herts., for this year’s ISPE Revision and Back-to-Basics Seminar. This seminar is free to ISPE students but open to all members and non-members for a small charge. This year it was attended entirely by ISPE student members.

Who left a book behind? - see below

The idea of the event is to give those students who are about to sit their ISPE exams a bit of guidance, showing where marks may be gained or lost and showing examples of questions and ‘model’ answers. Each of the four ISPE Tutors gives a forty-five minute presentation on their respective subjects, usually, Chris Carr, FISPE - Filtration, Ian Betts, FISPE - Construction, Colin Day, FISPE - Chemicals and John Scott, FISPE - Heating. However, John Scott fell ill the day before the seminar and was unable to be there so Ian Betts kindly stepped in and gave John’s presentation, too. All students receive a CPD attendance certificate giving four CPD points and copies of the four PowerPoint presentations as they leave. A light lunch of various sandwiches, chips and fruit, seemed

to go down well. Remember, this is FREE for ISPE students. Whilst aimed at ISPE students the seminar is open to all and can act as a bit of a refresher, or for those new to the trade, an excellent introduction to the four main subjects that most pool engineers are concerned with in some form or other. Last year, those who attended certainly benefitted from the day and whilst a pass is not guaranteed, it was felt by many that the day did help. Those who attend the seminar do not have to sit the exams in the same year and it is stated that students should only book in for the ISPE exams when they are ready to sit all four subjects. The one expression that came up in all four presentations during the day was “Read the manuals!”. This sounds so obvious but amazingly, many students admit to not studying the four books which do contain all the exam questions and all the answers. It is hoped to run another Revision Seminar in February 2021, subject to demand. If you are interested in attending please email [email protected] and we will contact you nearer the time once a date is set. You can then decide whether to confirm your booking or not. A big thank-you goes to all the tutors for their time and I’m pleased to report that John Scott made a speedy recovery. Lost Property One delegate, on the right hand side of the photo, left their Chemicals manual behind. We will post it on request (email [email protected]).



01993 777200 [email protected]

www.oc-1filtrationmedia.com

For new installations or replacements, the OC-1 filter is the obvious choice. Supplied complete with the OC-1 media it is specially designed to work in perfect harmony with OC-1 and compliment the amazing advantages OC-1 can provide. The OC-1 filter range covers all applications from small domestic to the largest commercial installations.

Benefits of using OC-1 media:

• Outperforms traditional filter media• Increased debris retention• Decreased head loss• Independently tested by IFTS• Suitable for all applications• Potential energy savings • Lightweight and easy to transport• Manufactured in Britain• Low maintenance and recyclable

The obvious choice for your next filter installation



SPATEX 2020 and ISPE – the power couple Chalking up another Industry success, SPATEX 2020 at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena was the meeting place for the international wet leisure community at the end of January and, as is tradition, the ISPE was at the heart of it. As the Industry’s leading provider of free training and education, the ISPE once again stepped up to the plate and put on an excellent Workshop programme at SPATEX 2020. All the Workshops were well attended but proving that leaks are the bane of a poolie’s life, the highest attendance was for Phil Barlow’s ‘The Wonders of Leak Detection’ presentation. ISPE General Secretary, Ross Alcock says, “This year’s Workshop programme featured a number of new speakers and lots of new subjects, several of which chimed with the Show’s Go Green eco theme. The ISPE stand welcomed lots of ISPE members and prospective new members and students and there was lots of interest in the ISPE Revision Seminar, which was held shortly after SPATEX. We now turn towards the 25th edition of SPATEX 2021 and hope to be able to present the best-ever series of ISPE Workshops for this milestone event. Watch this space!” Green showcase Every aspect of wet leisure, both domestic and commercial, was covered – from the obvious swimming pools, saunas, spas and steam rooms to the less obvious, chemicals, heating and ventilation equipment, enclosures and much more! The 110 exhibiting companies

who took the Show’s theme to their heart, displayed some of the world’s most advanced low energy, low carbon footprint products. With many display spas and pools filled with water, it was a feast for the eyes, and delighted Exhibition Organiser, Michele Bridle, reports, “Visitor numbers were up by 3.6 per cent from 2019. However, it’s not the quantity but the quality that is important and 2020 very much ticked the quality box. Thank you to ISPE for once again playing a part and lending its much-valued support. The Show was brimming with an air of optimism and positivity. Almost without exception, exhibitors reported a steady flow of high-quality visitors throughout the three-day event. The stands were busy and the aisles were thronged with delegates doing business.”

Quote, unquote

Chris Green – Certikin International, “We had a stand-out Show with a steady footfall throughout the three days. We look forward to returning in 2021 for another vibrant Show and to celebrate SPATEX’s 25th edition.” Richard Hart – Aquawarehouse Group, “SPATEX is the highlight of our year.”

SPATEX 2020 and ISPE - the power couple



Mark Osman – Heatstar, “Quality over quantity every time for us and SPATEX didn’t disappoint on any front.” Paul Webb – Fairlocks Pool Products, “This Show was the best for FPP, with our increased stand size, we enjoyed lots of positive feedback from old and new.” Anthony Schneikert – Spa Solutions, “The Show has been very good and provided us with some excellent leads.” Mike Foggin – The Mosaic Spa Co, “The exhibition was a huge success for The Mosaic Spa Company with a large footfall on our stand on all three days, great feedback and a raft of new customer orders. With a busy year ahead, we look forward to SPATEX 2021.”

SPATEX likes to party The Exhibition is also well known for being the Industry’s best annual networking event and this year was no exception with SPATEX hosting a very well-attended Green themed event on the Wednesday evening with green hats, free drinks, canapes and music. All eyes on 2021 SPATEX 2020 heralded the start of a vibrant, upbeat year and a prelude to SPATEX’s 25th Anniversary next year. SPATEX 2021 - Tuesday 2 February to Thursday 4 February at the Ericsson Exhibition Hall, Ricoh Arena, Coventry - easy-to-get-to, just minutes off the M6 and 2,000 free on-site car parking spaces.

Please visit www.spatex.co.uk or contact the SPATEX 2021 team for

further information: [email protected] or [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0) 1264 358558.



EditorialSituations VacantSituations Vacant Below is a summary of the latest situation vacant adverts which we have received. For full details see the situation vacant section of the ISPE website (www.ispe.co.uk) or contact the ISPE office and we will email the advert to you. Situations vacant adverts are free for ISPE members and their companies and a small charge is made for non-members’ companies.

H2O Swimming Pools Ltd. Experienced Swimming Pool

Engineer Based near Horley, Surrey, but driving around London, Surrey,

Sussex and Kent.

***************************

Fountains Direct Mechanical & Electrical Contract

Engineer Throughout the UK but in particular

within the M25.

***************************

Tru Pool Uk Ltd. Experienced full time Swimming

Pool Engineer Based in Bournemouth, Dorset

***************************

Next Issue The next issue of the ISPE Magazine will be out in early July. Please send all your news, product or company profiles to us by the end of May.

Editorial Just as SPATEX 2020 was about to start we heard the sad news that long-standing ISPE member Ron Stempfer had passed away. This issue features two tributes, one from his friend and colleague Michael Cormacey and the other looking at Ron’s long association with the Institute. With no real Winter to speak of (here in Norfolk) we have all nearly been bowled over by the various storms that have battered the country in the early part of this year. Strange times, indeed. In addition, the Coronavirus has started to spread and one can only imagine how this will further affect all activities around the world in the months to come. It seems to be a changing picture every day. We have nearly 50 students about to sit the 2020 ISPE exams and I’m currently waiting for the outcome of a Government Emergency Committee (‘Cobra’) meeting to let me know if we are required to cancel these, or not. By the time you read this, we’ll know what occurred. Hoping that all will be well later in the year we have at least one seminar to look forward to, the next ISPE Filtration Workshop and you’ll see in this issue we’ll be taking names of those interested in attending the next ISPE Back-to-Basics/Revision seminar, too. Normally at this point, I wish you all a busy season and I only hope that will be the case. Keep busy! Ross Alcock - March 2020



The revolutionary and unique underwater drill.

14 Hanborough Business Park Long Hanborough Oxfordshire OX29 8LH Tel: +44 (0) 1865 988346 Fax: +44 (0) 1865 598990 Email: [email protected]

www.fairlocks.co.uk

62252 Nemo A5 Advert.indd 1 03/06/2015 15:06


SPATEX2020 THANK YOU A5.qxp_Layout 1 13/03/2020 13:23 Page 1

Date post:	26-Jan-2021
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	1 times
Download:	0 times

• Tributes to Ron Stempfer • UV Technology • Newly ......June 2010 Vol. 21 No. 2 THE INSTITUTE...

Documents