Water Slide at Pori Outdoor Swimming Pool Closed Due to Bacterial Detection
The water slide at Pori’s outdoor swimming pool, known locally as Maikkala, has been temporarily closed after Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria were detected in samples taken from its landing pool. The City of Pori announced the closure following test results completed on Tuesday evening (Ilta-Sanomat; Iltalehti).
The bacteria were found in samples collected on Monday, prompting immediate action to take the slide out of service. The facility remains open, as the bacterial finding does not affect the rest of the swimming pool’s operations (Ilta-Sanomat). Retesting is underway, with results expected during the week following Midsummer (Iltalehti).
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium commonly found in moist environments and requires minimal nutrients to thrive (Iltalehti). While it rarely causes illness in healthy individuals, it poses a risk to those with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions. According to HUS, the bacteria can lead to severe infections, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, or systemic infections in vulnerable individuals. It may also be present asymptomatically in stool, urine, chronic wounds, or the respiratory tracts of people with lung conditions (Iltalehti).
The outdoor swimming pool, which opened in 1957, attracts around 80,000 visitors annually (Ilta-Sanomat). The city has stated that further information will be provided once the retesting results are available.
