Monday November 25, 2024, a chlorine leak in the filtration system of the sports pool at the Naturéo water park in Loches led to the evacuation of 25 people (1).
In the process, the site closed prematurely – three weeks before repair work was scheduled to start this Monday, December 16 – leaving Lochois swimmers, particularly schoolchildren who were taking their swimming assessments, without a solution.
“Conclusions rendered in January”
The incident was caused by a mixture of chlorine and acid. In fact, ten times the daily dose of chlorine and ten times the daily dose of acid were injected at once into the sports pool.
According to our information, from Tuesday November 26, 2024, the Récréa company called in its expert technician to analyze the causes of this incident. Technical avenues (absence of non-return valve in particular) are mentioned to determine how the injection of product could have been done, as supposed, by siphon when stopping the variator of a pump.
In the absence of precise information on the causes of this incident, the community of municipalities has chosen to keep Naturéo closed.
“The internal investigation is completed but we are still missing specific elements to reach a conclusion, in particular concerning the technical expertise that we have commissioned”announces Michel Guignaudeau, vice-president in charge of sports at Loches Sud Touraine.
To this first expertise, a second is added, at the request of the intercommunality, owner of the walls but which has made the management of the aquatic activity a public service delegation to the Récréa group.
“This second assessment is carried out by our own insurer and its conclusions will be delivered at the beginning of January”specifies Michel Guignaudeau. This will include estimating the financial loss linked to the incident and, if necessary, taking legal action to claim damages. “But we’re not there yet”slips the chosen one.
What about schools?
Regarding school children learning to swim, “ten elementary classes and ten secondary classes were affected at the time of the incident,” explains Michel Guignaudeau. According to him, three final year classes (sport option at the baccalaureate) are affected, or 80 students. “We have not received any specific referral from establishments to date (2) »continues the elected official, also mayor of Ligueil. “We will offer additional water lines for schools as soon as the equipment reopens in spring 2025”concludes Michel Guignaudeau.
(1) Concerning users of the Apajh nursing home in Loches, no medical problems have been reported since the incident. We have not received any feedback from users of the Althéas medical-educational institute (IME) in Beaulieu-lès-Loches.
(2) We tried in vain to contact the heads of the Georges-Besse college and the Thérèse-Planiol high school.
