Collingwood Leisure Centre users frustrated after pool regularly closed due to people pooing in water

Swimmers at an inner-city leisure centre are in the dumps, with the pool often closed to deal with unsightly “code browns”.

Collingwood Leisure Centre members and users are frustrated the pool is often closed because of “code browns”.

Collingwood Leisure Centre users are fed up with the pool often being shut down and evacuated after someone defecates or releases bodily fluid in the water.

Multiple users complained to the Herald Sun saying the poo in water situation occurred “way too often” at the centre.

It happened again on Thursday, with the pool shut down just after 9.30am after a swimmer pointed out poo on the floor of a lap lane, almost in the middle of the main 25m pool.

Lifeguards were quick to shut the pool down and order everybody out.

Kids’ swimming lessons and an aqua aerobics class were also suspended as a staff member attempted to retrieve the offending matter with a pool scoop.

Another swimmer who finished swimming laps before the code brown said they saw something on the floor of the pool which resembled a “fun size” Mars bar.

If the discharge had originated in the kids’ section it would have had to drift a fair distance over a considerable amount of time to reach its final resting spot undetected.

A Collingwood Leisure Centre employee claimed the occurrence is casually referred to as “code browns” and happens at least “once or twice” a week.

It’s understood “code browns” are common in most public pools, and the term refers to the discharge of any bodily fluid into the water, including faeces.

All pool operators have to follow safety guidelines when it occurs.

Member Michael said he personally witnessed three code browns in the last two weeks.

“It’s frustrating,” Michael said.

“I’m swimming laps and next second the lifeguard tells you you have to jump out because some kid did a poo in the water.”

It’s understood staff remove the poo then close down the pool for 30 minutes while eager swimmers sit on the sidelines.

It’s not clear what staff do to the pool in those 30 minutes.

According to members the kids’ pool is joined to the main 25m 8-lane lap pool at Collingwood Leisure Centre, meaning anything that happens in the children’s section affects the entire pool.