Faecal contamination closed Taiora QEII Recreation and Sport Centre 233 times in 12 months, compared to 157 for the council's other three centres combined. (File photo)

Pools at Christchurch's newest swimming complex have been closed 328 times in the past 12 months – more than the city's three other indoor pools combined.

Faecal contamination closed pools at Taiora QEII Recreation and Sport Centre 233 times while vomit caused 71 closures.

Most of the closures (102) were in the toddlers pool, with the leisure pool close behind on 99 and the teach pool on 81. The lane pool was closed four times.

STACY SQUIRES/STUFF Pools at Taiora QEII Recreation and Sport Centre were closed for 647 hours in the past 12 months, more than double the number of the other three Christchurch City Council-owned centres. (File photo)

The pools at QEII were closed for a total of 647 hours in the 12 months from November 2018 – the equivalent of 80 eight-hour days.

READ MORE:

* Faecal faux pas force multiple closures at Christchurch's newest pool

* Christchurch's QEII inundated with swimmers, prompting people to question its size

* String of thefts mar QEII pool's opening weekend

* Long wait to swim at new QEII complex as it runs at capacity

* Rebuilt QEII centre puts east Christchurch 'back on the map' as hundreds stream in on opening night

Pools at other Christchurch City Council-owned complexes also had forced closures. Graham Condon was closed 85 times or for 295 hours, Jellie Park 60 times or 119 hours, and Pioneer 75 times and for 293 hours during the same period. Faecal contamination or "code browns" were the main cause of closure at all pools with Graham Condon being closed 64 times for that reason, Jellie Park 40, and Pioneer 53.

STACY SQUIRES/STUFF Hundreds poured through the doors on the opening night of Christchurch's new $38.6 million sport and recreation facility in May 2018.

The $38.6 million QEII complex has been plagued with closures since it opened on May 31, 2018. During its first 55 days the pools were closed 34 times, causing residents to turn to social media to vent their frustration, with one calling the centre "QE Poo".

The council was unable to explain why QEII had so many closures.

Council head of recreation, sports and events Nigel Cox said the closures were predominantly in pools used by younger children such as the teaching, leisure, wetplay and toddlers pools.

JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF The $38.6 million QEII complex opened on May 31, 2018.

To reduce the number of closures, pool staff told parents of children who wore nappies that swimming nappies were required to be worn in the water. The council has also provided those nappies at no cost during awareness campaigns.

"Staff also ask parents to encourage children to let food settle and use the toilet before swimming. This is backed up by signage around the pool and on our website."

The council was unable to say how much the closures cost, because the figures were "variable and not collated".

Most of the cost was loss of revenue from swimming lessons being cancelled and extra pool chemicals and water heating costs, the council said.

* Comments have been closed.