(From left) Johor Health Department director Dr Mohtar Pungut@Ahmad, Mohd Hairi and Ling visiting MBJB Arena Larkin Aquatic Centre.
The Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) Arena Larkin Aquatic Centre will reopen to the public on Jan 1 next year after being shut down since July due to E. coli bacteria contamination.
Johor youth, sports, entrepreneur development and cooperatives committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said the cleanup and upgrade cost RM1.3mil and the January reopening would involve two pools.
“Although the water quality and the pool upgrading works have been completed, there are still technical upgrading works ongoing.
“We want to upgrade the railings and surrounding area to make it less slippery,” he said after visiting the aquatic centre with Johor health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
Mohd Hairi also said that the reopening would take place in phases.
“We do not want to rush things and will only reopen fully when tests conducted by the Chemistry and Health departments show no contaminants in the water.
“There have been many queries on the progress because it is the only swimming pool in Johor of international standard.
“Our priority is the health and safety of the public,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ling said the Health and Chemistry departments would be conducting regular checks at the centre to ensure that the water is free from contaminants.
“We will check for chlorine and E. coli and each test result comes out within two days.
“The test will be carried out until the facility is open to the public on Jan 1.
“We want to ensure that the facility owner is able to maintain water quality and prevent any future incidents,” he said.
Ling added that a water sampling standard operating procedure had also been introduced at the facility by the Health Department.
On July 27, 19 out of 900 students participating in a tournament at the centre were rushed to the hospital after experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, fever and itchy skin.
The symptoms were believed to be caused by contaminated water in the aquatic centre’s swimming and diving pools.
Subsequently, test results revealed that water in the pools contained E. coli bacteria.
