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E. Coli found in most metro pools

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found E. coli in 58 percent of pools in metro Atlanta.
 
The CDC study examined pools in DeKalb, Fulton, Cobb and Gwinnett counties in 2012. Officials tested 161 pools from June through August, though it's unclear which ones.
 
The report also said testers examined both private and public pools.
 
"It's quite shocking to be perfectly honest, but considering you have to control a lot of human behavior to control proper pool chemistry, it's not that surprising," said Julie Koriakin, the executive director of the Ashford-Dunwoody YMCA.
 
Koriakin added YMCA staff check their pools regularly.
 
CDC officials found E. coli in 49 percent of private pools, 70 percent of public pools and 66 percent of water park samples.
 
The report closes by suggesting swimmers must be aware of their personal hygiene i.e. bathing before entering a pool and visiting a restroom at least every hour.
         
"We're constantly reminding our members and guests to bathe before they enter the pool, preferably, but we also require people to shower down and rinse off before they enter the water," Koriakin said.