IRMO, S.C. — Summertime means pool inspections.
They're common right now across the state of South Carolina.
In fact, DHEC checks over 7,000 pools two times unannounced a year.
The agency is required to keep swimming areas safe throughout the summer with inspections.
As of recent, one pool in particular in an Irmo neighborhood fell out of line.
According to a report from DHEC, Chelsea Park's pool was cited for high water levels, an unsecure ladder, chemicals being added during hours of operation...and the emergency phone not working.
DHEC uses specialized equipment for these inspections. The Palin Tests make sure perception of color error is eliminated with photometers.
"Such as the actual photo meter that we use for testing, as well as some sample vials so that we can add the water directly in. We'll actually take the water sample that we collect from the poolside, add it into our q-vettes or our little vials for testing and then what we'll do is we'll actually add a reagent to test for different parameters, whether that be chlorine, pH or cyanuric acid," said Luke Abel, recreational waters compliance coordinator with DHEC's bureau of water.
High levels of these chemicals, or even low levels can cause itchy eyes and a skin rash.
Right now, with COVID, monkeypox and other sicknesses being passed around, how does this impact pools?
"The ones moneypox and or COVID-19, both of those have been shown to react to chlorine and be killed off at at least a one parts per million chlorine level," Abel said.
In other words, there's no need to worry since these aren't water-borne and since DHEC explains chlorine acts as bleach.
Now that this neighborhood pool has been fixed, residents say things are back to normal.
"We did go up there Friday and there were no issues, no concerns. The pool maintenance company was up there checking things out and checking the levels, so I definitely feel safe," Paige Warren-Long, Irmo resident said.
But it is up to you to be proactive about your summer pool safety.
DHEC tells News 19 that 25% of pools are closed with routine summer inspections.
In the Midlands, closure reasons are primarily because of chlorine levels, not logging regular chemistry readings and pH levels.
According to DHEC, chlorine levels need to be between one and eight parts per million in the state, pH levels are most effective between seven and 7.8 and cyanuric acid is a chlorine stabilizer unit that needs to be 20 - 50 parts per million.
For public pool inspections, DHEC goes through 34 items on their checklist that include first aid kits, safety signage and taking chemistry samples.