Tanganyika can reopen splash park and there is ‘no risk of infection,’ official says

A little more than a month after Tanganyika Wildlife Park closed its splash park as visitors became sick and even hospitalized with bacterial infections, the splash park has been cleared to reopen.

Sedgwick County Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns told the park, in a letter the park shared on Facebook, that after reviewing changes to the facility and inspections, the health department is “satisfied that all requirements are met and that there is no risk of infection.”

Friday’s letter said the splash park could reopen that day. Tanganyika also said Friday on Facebook that the splash park would reopen Saturday.

“I said from the beginning the safety of our guests is a top priority.” Park Director Matt Fouts said in a Sedgwick County news release. “I believe our collaboration with all the parties involved in re-opening the splash park demonstrates that commitment. We are thrilled to have Tanganyika Falls open once again to the community and visitors in the Wichita area.”

The approval, the news release says, comes after changes made to the facility to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Model Aquatic Health Code, review of a report by an independent aquatic design firm, testing done on July 21 and the results of a July 16 inspection by the health department, an independent pool inspector and the CDC.

“The Splash Park is safe for visitors,” Health Department Director Adrienne Byrne said in the release. “Tanganyika began making enhancements to their facility as soon as they were was notified of the illnesses. The Sedgwick County Health Department encourages all water facilities in Sedgwick County to follow the MAHC.”

The news release says the park “exceeded the re-opening recommendations for splash park safety.”

The park announced the closing of its splash park on June 19 because of filtration system problems that they were “working diligently to remedy.”

“The splash park is a new adventure for us animal people, and it was an issue we could not foresee,” the park said on Facebook, not mentioning people getting sick.

The post has more than 1,300 comments, many with people complaining of their children or family members getting sick and even hospitalized after visiting the splash park.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said seven cases of Shigella — a bacteria that spreads from person-to-person through exposure to contaminated feces — has been linked to the park. The Sedgwick County news release about the parks’ reopening now puts that number at eight. All of those people visited the park on June 11.

Additionally, people who attended the splash park have also tested positive for the norovirus, sapovirus and a type of E. coli called enteropathogenic E. coli, the KDHE reported.

A lawsuit against the park has 47 plaintiffs seeking more than $75,000 in restitution after the people became “violently ill and suffered repeated bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and fever and other symptoms due to the negligence and/or carelessness” of the park, the suit says.

The KDHE has launched a second survey to try and garner input from people who visited the park between May 28 through June 19.

It asks specifics about what slides and parts of the splash park they visited, what animals they touched or fed, and asks if they’ve experienced symptoms that include bloody diarrhea, vomiting and fever.

The survey is available at tinyurl.com/kssplash.

This story was originally published July 24, 2021 at 1:36 PM.