Bats and Pool Safety

April 18, 2024

Facility Posters

As we gear up for the opening of the public pools, we want to let you know about available safety resources! Last summer we distributed bat posters to pool facilities to help spread awareness about the danger of bats and rabies. If you're interested in receiving additional copies for this swim season, please email BatSafetyHandouts@MSTeam.pima.gov or call
520-724-7971 or 520-724-7908. We will work to get them to you as soon as possible.

"As swim season starts, and more bats are found in pools, we want to ensure that the swimmers and staff in pool facilities are protected from rabies—a fatal disease that can be found in bats," Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen said. "It's important to remove dead bats following CDC guidance, and if facilities have any questions our EPI team is always here to help." 

CDC Recommended Bat and Pool Safety Remediation Steps

What should you do if you find a dead bat in a pool?

• Close the pool to swimmers.
• Remove the dead animal
  • Put on disposable gloves.
  • Use a net or bucket to remove the dead animal from the pool.
  • Double bag the animal in plastic garbage bags.
  • Clean off any debris or dirt from the item used to remove the dead animal.
  • Remove gloves and place them in the garbage bags.
  • Close the garbage bags and place them in a sealed trash can to help keep wild animals away from the dead animal.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately.
• Disinfect the pool
  
  • Raise the free chlorine concentration to, or maintain it at, 2 parts per million (ppm); maintain the pH levels at 7.5 or less; keep the temperature at 77°F (25°C) or higher. The free chlorine and pH should remain at these levels for 30 minutes.
  • Confirm that the filtration system is operating properly during this time.
  • Disinfect the item used to remove the dead animal by immersing it in the pool during the 30 minute disinfection time.

Call CHFS 520-724-7908 if you have any questions or concerns related to your aquatic facilities. For more information, visit CDC's webpage on Finding a Dead Animal in the Pool.