Assessment of Sanitary Conditions in the Main Swimming Pools in Gaza Strip (2010 – 2013): Palestine

Approximately 1.7 million inhabitants of 378 km 2 area‎of‎Gaza‎Strip‎don’t‎have‎enough‎recreational‎areas,‎except‎ Gaza beach which suffers from sewage pollution as well as some public and private swimming pools which considered as merely recreational places. The main objective of this study is to assess the microbiological quality of swimming pools water in Gaza Strip to assure its health safety for swimmers. Sampling and analysis were conducted by the Ministry of Health over a period of about four years (2010-2013). Samples were collected from seven central swimming pools in Gaza Strip periodically and examined for Total Coliforms and Faecal Coliforms. In addition, Staphylococcus aureus, Faecal Streptococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from the swimming pools samples with different percentages. Percentages of microbial contamination, concentration of free chlorine and pH level were examined in the studied swimming pools and compared with the international standards and the annual trends were demonstrated. The results show that, about 75% of the recorded data regarding pH level are unacceptable, while 100% of the recorded data about the concentration of free chlorine within the swimming pools are unacceptable. About 57% of the collected samples were contaminated by Total Coliforms, 39% were contaminated by Faecal Coliforms, 46% were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus, 21% were contaminated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 18% were contaminated by Faecal streptococci. The annual trends show increase in percentage of contamination to be the worst during the year 2013. Therefore, proper intensive surveillance and water chlorination is needed periodically.