Sorry to hear about your raccoon problems. I found the following information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Raccoons usually choose certain locations to defecate (poop) and then use those same places repeatedly. Raccoons can also be attracted to areas where humans live and play. In pools, raccoons usually defecate in the shallow areas (for example, on the steps).
Here are some tips for keeping raccoons out of your pool:
- Cover the pool area that has been visited by raccoons.
- Keep the fence around the pool closed.
- Find out if anyone in your area is feeding raccoons, leaving pet food outside, leaving uncovered trash outside, or using trash cans that are not properly secured. Discourage this behavior as it could be attracting animals, particularly raccoons, to your pool.
- Contact Animal Control (local government office in charge of animal issues) or a pest control removal service to relocate the animal.
As far as the existing poop, you may want to have it tested for Baylisascaris. Baylisascaris is a roundworm parasite. People can become very ill if they are exposed to this parasite. Animal control should be able to test the poop for Baylisascaris if you can get them a sample. Be very careful and wear gloves when you gather the sample.
The CDC provides the following instructions for treating the pool if the raccoon excrement does have Baylisascaris.
Option 1:
- Filter the pool for a minimum of 24 hours and then backwash the pool filter.
- Put on disposable gloves to replace the material doing the filtering (if possible). Double bag the discarded material in plastic garbage bags. Remove gloves and place them in the garbage bags. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards.
Option 2:
- Backwash the pool filter.
- Drain and hose down the pool.
- Put on disposable gloves to replace the material doing the filtering (if possible). Double bag the discarded material in plastic garbage bags. Remove gloves and place them in the garbage bags. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards
- Refill the pool.
If the test is negative, I would follow the directions in our article titled "Someone Pooped in My Pool. What Do I Do Now?".
Good luck! Let us know how everything turns out.