Tulsa's Chandler Park splash pad battles diaper problem

TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa's Chandler Park splash pad is battling a huge problem.

Since the start of summer, they've had to close the park eight times because of the water quality.

It's mostly due to bodily fluids such as vomit, blood and human feces.

FOX23 spoke with employees who are asking for help on Tuesday.

The Chandler Park splash pad faces backlash online, specifically Facebook.

Many bathroom jokes are out there, but employees at the park are frustrated and just want to keep it clean.

“I’m about to work for free as a bouncer at this point and make sure no one gets in without a swim diaper on their kids,” one person wrote, and "dirty diapers strike again,” "I feel like this is a running joke at this point."

For Tulsa County Parks, it isn’t a joke.

"It's upsetting for us as Tulsa County Parks and it's also upsetting for people that want to come in and splash around at the splash park,” said Karsten Villanueva, Communications Manager of Tulsa County Parks.

The park has put up signs and begged parents to put their children in swim diapers.

Every time a child enters the park, employees ask parents if they remembered to put their child’s swim diaper on, but it’s hard to enforce that kids are wearing proper diapers.

"Our splash pad monitors do a good job of letting the public know our rules to the splash park, and one of them is you have to wear a swim diaper,” Villanueva said. “There's a lot of water in the splash park, so making sure what is in the diaper stays in the diaper and does not get in the water. It is extremely frustrating when we do have to close down."

Chandler Park’s splash park is different than a regular splash park. It operates like a pool with 300,000 gallons of water underneath that keeps cycling through.

Water levels are checked every hour and a half.

If something is detected, cleaning efforts take at least five hours.

Employees said this park is unique and they want it to be clean for everyone to enjoy.

"The Chandler Park splash pad is like no other,” Villanueva said. “There is nothing like it in probably the Midwest or the country. It is very special in how it operates. We want to keep it special and keep it clean for everyone's enjoyment.”

FOX23 spoke to a lot of parents at the park. Some of them said they always check the Chandler Park Facebook page before they drive all the way there.

One woman said she once drove all the way to Chandler Park just for it to be closed due to diaper issues.

The splash park is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday.

It will close for the season on Sept. 1.