Highlights

Water Recreation

Program

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Welcome to the Water Recreation Program

Fact sheets - General Information

Cryptosporidium

E. coli 

Giardia

Hepatitis A

Water Safety

Links

BEACH Program

Publications

Ready to build a pool

Regulations 

Web Resources

Pool Operators Manual (Washington Environmental Health Association)

Be Sun Smart (Printable brochure)

Water Safety  Know the water, Know your limits, Wear a life jacket

Mandatory Boating Safety Education  From Washington State Parks

What we do
Staff provides consultation, technical assistance, and training to local health jurisdictions, other state and local agencies, and the industry on health and safety issues related to swimming pools, spas, water parks, and bathing beaches. Our objective is to reduce morbidity and mortality related to water recreation facilities by assuring that they are constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with established environmental health and safety standards.

How we do it 
Staff conducts workshops on health and safety issues, develops, and distributes health education materials, maintains and updates standards and guidelines, and provides technical assistance to agencies and the industry. We also serve as a liaison with state and national industry groups, and keep current on new technology related to water recreation facilities.

For additional program information, please contact Gary Fraser at (360) 236-3073.

Other links related to water and boating safety:

New brochure Water Clarity - Kid's Disappear When the Water's not Clear

Water Recreation publications

BEACH Program monitors water quality at local beaches

Impacts of revisions to the Water Recreation Facilities regulations

Revised Water Recreation Facilities Regulations (WAC 246-260) pdf 1MB

Healthy Swimming (CDC)

Order a Pool Operator's Manual from Washington State Environmental Health Association

DOH Regulations

WAC 246-260, Water Recreation Facilities  pdf 1015 kb

WAC 246-262, Recreational Water Contact Facilities

Web Resources

CDC, Healthy Swimming 2003

CDC, Pseudomonas, "Hot Tub Rash"

Swimmer's Itch CDC

H₂0 Smarts, for young people. Staying safe during water activities CDC

Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Drowning Prevention

County Beach Water Sampling Results

Washington State Environmental Health Association, Pool Operator's Manual

DOH Home | Access Washington | Privacy Notice | Disclaimer/Copyright Information Links to external resources are provided as a public service and do not imply endorsement by the Washington State Department of Health. Water Recreation Program Office of Environmental Health and Safety Division of Environmental Health Washington State Department of Health PO Box 47825 Olympia, WA  98504-7825 Phone:  (360) 236-3073 Toll Free:  1(888) 586-9427 Send inquiries about DOH and its programs to the Health Consumer Assistance Office. For comments or questions regarding this Web site, please send email to EHS Web Coordinator.

Last Update : 09/26/2007 10:18 AM