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2005 World Aquatic Health™ Conference

City of Industry, CA
September 19-21, 2005

The second World Aquatic Health™ Conference attracted 231 leaders from 8 countries and 33 states, who participated in 40 seminars on September 19-21, 2005, at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort, City of Industry, California.  In addition, the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health, the California Department of Health and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance each had meetings in conjunction with this leading scientific conference.

As with the 2004 conference, many high-level decision makers (24%) attended including presidents, vice presidents, owners and directors. Public health officials represented 20% of the attendees. “The conference achieved its goal to bring people with diverse aquatic interest and experience together to understand issues and begin formulating solutions,” says Thomas M. Lachocki, Ph.D, CEO, NSPF®.  Attendees included program managers, facility mangers, consultants, academicians, service companies, manufacturers, and facility designers

The seminars focused on topics that spanned the aquatics horizon, further reinforcing the World Aquatic Health™ Conference’s role as the foremost scientific conference on aquatic topics. Forty seminar sessions were presented by thirty world experts, included cutting-edge research on recreational water illness prevention, health benefits of aquatic activities, advanced chemistry training, effective public pool and spa inspections and a strategic planning session to build future academic aquatic programs. Six seminars were presented by NSPF®. grant and fellowship recipients. In most cases this was the first time these results were revealed.

The conference opened with a heart-warming and inspirational speech by Adolph Kiefer who has an unsurpassed passion for aquatics predating his 1936 Olympic gold medal in the backstroke. “Adolph gave us a view of where our field was, is, and will be”, says Lachocki. “His keynote address helped us all feel how bright our future can be.”

Copies of the proceedings from the 2005 World Aquatic Health™ Conference are available.

Order the proceedings online

There were many cutting edge seminars to help us find solutions to prevent injuries and health problems at aquatic venues. 

  1. Dr. Michael Beach (CDC) reported that 2005 has been a bad year for recreational water illness outbreaks with the number of people affected likely to exceed 4,000 with 12 outbreaks this year alone.  More people contracted RWI in 2005 than 2001 and 2002 combined.
  2. Mr. Luke Jacobs (Eastern Kentucky University) revealed statistically valid evidence that the presence of a trained and certified operator in Montgomery County, Ohio, reduces the likelihood that a facility will have major violations of the health code.
  3. Dr Richard Cavestri (Imagination Resources) told us that work is in process to improve indoor air quality associated with the ventilation and dehumidification.
  4. Dr. Neil Lowry taught about advanced water chemistry and Howard Gosling (Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group, UK) reviewed how water chemistry parameters compare in Europe. 
  5. Dr. Karen Duda (Kennesaw State University) presented research that documented the presence of enzymes in several pool and spa products
  6. Dr. Christian Zweiner (Engler-Butne Institute, Germany) reviewed how disinfection by-products are minimized in some parts of Europe. 
  7. Maureen Williams and Dr. Tim Flood (National Drowning Prevention Alliance) talked about some of the efforts to understand and prevent drowning.
  8. A planning session featured the early process of creating college degree programs that will feed the pool and spa industry with talented and educated graduates.
  9. An exciting group of speakers introduced several new industrial technologies that are beginning to appear, including advanced filtration, controller technology, nanotechnology, chlorine dioxide, ultra-violet light, vacuum-induced hypochlorite feed, chlorine generation.

Aquatic activities play an important and growing role in maintaining and improving society’s health. Several presentations spotlighted the incredible opportunities available to help mankind through aquatics.

  1. Dr. Bruce Becker (Washington State University), recipient of NSPF’s grant of $247,000, reviewed the potential respiratory and cardiac health benefits from water immersion and several scientists reviewed the benefits of aquatics in physical therapy, including spine pain management and arthritis care.
  2. Andrea Salzman (Aquatic Resource Network) taught a day-long program on designing new pools for aquatic therapy, and also adapting pools for aquatic therapy.

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