State closes Middleton water park after high chlorine readings
(Lisa Poole for The Boston Globe)
People splashed and enjoyed at the park in June.
By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff
CoCo Key Water Resort, a popular indoor water park at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, was shut down today by state public health officials, after high levels of chlorine were found in the facility's three pools and hot tub.
State inspectors found levels of residual chlorine were 1.4, 1.8, and 3 parts per million, which far exceeded the state standard of 0.2 parts per million, a state health official said.
The facility also did not have the proper chlorine testing equipment, or a thermometer to measure the temperature of the hot tub, the official said.
The facility must address these matters before it will be allowed to reopen.
The park is expected to be closed for at least 24 hours, the state said. "We need to make sure the chlorine levels are stabilized," said Suzanne Condon, director of the state's Bureau of Environmental Health.
The state inspected the facility with Middleton's public health agent today, after local residents reported getting chemical burns, skin rashes and other irritations after visiting the water park last month.
While the Sheraton hotel is in Danvers, the water park sits over the town line in Middleton.
A spokeswoman for the resort issued a statement that read in part, "We are fully investigating everything internally and commit to working closely with state and local officials . . . Our goal is to provide a safe and clean environment."
