Orange County Health Care Agency officials said they received positive test results for Legionella bacteria at the Foothill Ranch community spa, according to a report by the Orange County Register. The Foothill Ranch pool, wade pool, and spa in Lake Forest, CA, were temporarily closed May 12 after two adults were hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease.
Testing confirmed the spa was the source of the bacteria. Warm water found in hot tubs can become contaminated if the tubs are not routinely and adequately cleaned and disinfected.
The Foothill Ranch Maintenance Corporation had hoped the facility would re-open in time for Memorial Day. However, it remains closed until testing returns a negative result. The latest round of testing will be conducted this week; results can take up to two weeks to be returned.
Jessica Good, a spokesperson for the OC Health Care Agency, said the facility had undergone numerous remediation efforts, based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those measures include the cleaning of all surfaces, new filter material, replacement and super-chlorination of the water and the addition of a UV/ozone device to the filtration system.