A new Kansas law that went into effect on July 1 has led to a number of public pool water slides being shut down across the state.
The law was passed after the tragic death of 10-year-old Caleb Schwab on the Verruckt water slide at Schlitterbahn last summer in Kansas City, Kansas.
Among other changes, water slides 15 feet or higher that propel swimmers forward using water must now be properly inspected and receive a permit from the Kansas Department of Labor before allowing people to go on them.
The new law has led to the shut down of a swirl slide at the Roeland Park Aquatic Center.
Staff with the center said the slide will remain closed as the facility waits through a long list of inspection requests across the state.
"Having it be July 1st of 2017 in the middle of the busy season, all the inspections that have to go along with it and the inspectors also being in the middle of their busy season, it's made it difficult to try and adhere and get those permits done quickly," explained Michelle Alexander of the Roeland Park Aquatic Center. "We're waiting for the inspection and then we have to turn that inspection in to the Department of Labor."
With temperatures near triple digits on Monday, the water slide closure brought disappointment to some who came to the Roeland Park pool.
"We get here, see the signs and see that it's closed down for inspection. I'm like, 'Well, no slides today,'" explained parent Damon Steen. "When we went over there and figured out that it was closed, I think it let the kids down a little bit."
Steen said he understood the reasoning behind the new state law but thought it went too far.
"The tragedy? That's something serious. To close all of the water slides down? It's not that serious," he explained. "They could have kept that (Roeland Park) one open. That's nowhere near as big as the one at Schlitterbahn and it doesn't have anything around it like Schlitterbahn."
The new law was also met with support around the pool on Monday.
"I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I appreciate tighter regulations on that," explained Dana Ewbank, who was watching after two children. "You might as well take the time now to make sure that it's safe. Then parents can let their kids come to the pool and use it without worry."
The law's implementation just a week and a half ago has led to a jam of inspection requests across the state.
Aside from Roeland Park, public pool water slides in Chanute and Hillsboro also remained closed on Monday.
Other slides reopened, including "Thor's Revenge" at Lindsborg Municipal Pool, after organizers said insurance companies would cover them in cases of emergencies.
“On June 30 we closed our water slide down after receiving the news that the amusement ride bill passed as we did not want to assume any liability should an incident occur here," said City of Lindsborg Recreation Director Kate Elliott in a statement. "The following week we were able to have the slide inspected on July 6th, and passed with a good report. The slide remained closed until Friday afternoon of July 7th, when were heard back from our insurance company who confirmed that during the interim if any incidents happened we would be covered by them. Otherwise, if our insurance would not cover us the slide would have stayed closed until we received official permits and amusement ride status.”
With several public water slides still closed on Monday, Damon Steen hoped his favorite one in Roeland Park would reopen soon.
"My daughter is having fun. That's all that matters," he told 41 Action News. "As long as the kids are having fun, that's all that matters."
Pool organizers have until January 2018 to get their water slides inspected and receive a permit for operation in order to avoid facing penalties.
