Natural swimming pools are artificially created bodies of water that are intended for human recreational
bathing and have no chemical disinfection treatment. The microbial populations in four private natural
swimming pools were analysed to assess the typical microbiological parameters, establish the origin of
faecal contamination in the water, and predictthe behaviour of larger systems that are open to the public.
For this purpose, faecal coliforms, E. coli, enterococci, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa were enumerated in summer and winter. Moreover, faecal coliforms and enterococci populations
were biochemically phenotyped with the Phene-Plate System, the diversity and similarity indexes
were calculated and the isolates were identified. Three of the four natural pools exceeded the E. coli or
enterococci limits stated in the recommendations for natural swimming pools. The concentrations of P.
aeruginosa and aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were acceptable. The results suggest that wildlife was an
important source of faecal pollution in the pools. Since there is a lack of regulations on these systems, and
the health risks are higher than in conventional swimming pools, further research is needed to establish
the parameters for ensuring safe bathing in private and public natural swimming pools.
Natural swimming pools are artificially created bodies of water that are intended for human recreationalbathing and have no chemical disinfection treatment. The microbial populations in four private naturalswimming pools were analysed to assess the typical microbiological parameters, establish the origin offaecal contamination in the water, and predictthe behaviour of larger systems that are open to the public.For this purpose, faecal coliforms, E. coli, enterococci, aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and Pseudomonasaeruginosa were enumerated in summer and winter. Moreover, faecal coliforms and enterococci populationswere biochemically phenotyped with the Phene-Plate System, the diversity and similarity indexeswere calculated and the isolates were identified. Three of the four natural pools exceeded the E. coli orenterococci limits stated in the recommendations for natural swimming pools. The concentrations of P.aeruginosa and aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were acceptable. The results suggest that wildlife was animportant source of faecal pollution in the pools. Since there is a lack of regulations on these systems, andthe health risks are higher than in conventional swimming pools, further research is needed to establishthe parameters for ensuring safe bathing in private and public natural swimming pools.
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