After its opening day on October 6, Thermëa Spa Village was forced to close its pools just over a week later after Durham Public Health discovered a potential “health hazard” in the Källa saltwater pool. It was later confirmed by the spa’s managing director, Martin Paquette, that Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus (Staph) were discovered during the health check.
Dozens of visitors have since come forward sharing their stories of the painful rashes and ear infections they say they’ve contracted since visiting.
On Friday, the spa posted on its social media pages saying its team was “working hard” to implement the changes outlined in the internal audit.
The internal audit was published on November 2 – which was shared publicly as part of the spa’s “commitment to transparency” – and claims there were three factors that contributed to the contamination.
This included a malfunction with the pool’s ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system and a broken valve in the pool’s bromine corrosion system.
In the audit, Groupe Nordik said it would introduce several safety protocols, including installing two chlorine disinfection systems, introducing an alarm in the UV disinfection system and doubling the salt content in the Källa pool.
“After extensive testing by our entire audit team, we conclude with 100% certainty that, in time, we will be able to reopen the Källa pool and provide a safe experience for all our guests,” the November 2 audit says .
As of Friday, the spa revealed that the pools will remain closed until at least next Friday so they can continue to deliver on their inspection promises.
“We will continue to work closely with public officials and expect the pools to open soon,” the Instagram post said.
“As a wellness creator, we remain committed to the health and safety of all who use our facilities. We look forward to having Thermëa Village back in full operation soon.
72 GUESTS SUE THE SPA
Earlier this week, the spa was served with a statement of claim. In it, 72 plaintiffs seek to sue 11 various defendants — including Groupe Nordik — for a total of $5 million in damages.
The plaintiffs allege that the spa’s pool facilities – particularly the saltwater pool – were not ready on opening day on October 6 and that the company did not act quickly enough to close the pools after the numerous reports of illness.
The group also alleges that the spa “negligently failed to disclose this information to patrons and in fact withheld said information from them to their detriment.”
A spokesperson for Groupe Nordik previously told CTV News Toronto that it is committed to full transparency with both the public and its guests.
“While we deny the allegations in the claim against Thermëa Bath Village in Whitby, we intend to participate fully in the legal process.”
