"Impacts of Revisions to the Water Recreation Facilities Regulations"

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Impacts of Revisions to the
Water Recreation Facilities Regulations

Printable version of Water Recreation Facilities Regulations - effective October 31, 2004 (PDF 1 MB) or in Word (2 MB)

The Water Recreation Facilities regulations were revised and became effective on October 31, 2004. The major changes in the regulation that will affect all existing pools are noted in the following tables. Please understand that this Web page does not cover every change and it does not go into the changes for design and construction for new or renovating facilities.

The following tables emphasize changes to the regulations that effect all existing pools.

Table 1:	Discusses the classifications of pools. This is not a change from the previous code, but is useful when reviewing specific changes that will affect a particular class of pools.
Table 2:	For existing facilities built before the effective date of these new regulations, A list of changes that are required when a facility is upgraded to meet general compliance requirements and lifesaving equipment requirements (barriers and emergency equipment).
Table 3:	A list of changes in the regulation that will affect all existing pool facilities regarding operation.
Table 4:	A list of changes that will affect General Use pools (or Limited Use pools operating intermittently/temporarily as a General Use pool).
Table 5:	A list of changes that will affect Limited Use pools.

Table 1. Classifications of pools. This is not a change from the previous code, but is useful when reviewing specific changes that will affect a particular class of pools.

Table 1.
Pool Classification	Types of facilities within classification
Limited Use:	Apartment, boarding home, condominium, fraternity, home owners association, hotel, mobile home park, motel, recreational vehicle park, sorority or rental housing unit for the use of the persons living or residing at the facility and their residents' invited guests.
General Use:	Municipal, private club [athletic club, health club, Y’s, Elks, Odd Fellows, golf or tennis club]. Any facility not meeting requirement of limited use facility.

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Table 2. For existing facilities built before the effective date of these new regulations, changes that are required when a facility is upgraded to meet general compliance requirements and lifesaving equipment requirements (barriers and emergency equipment).

Table 2.
Section and Subject with Significant Changes	Specific Changes	Comments on particular changes
Compliance Requirements	Conform with sections 101 – 151, upgrade barriers to new standards by June 1, 2008. Upgrade single main drain facilities in swimming, wading, or recirculating spray.pools to include shut-off switch and audible alarm by June 1, 2008.	All existing facilities are required to meet all of the requirements listed in the operation sections. The department is providing a lead-time to June 1, 2008 to allow owners to upgrade existing non-conforming drains to meet new main drain requirements.
Design & Construction Section [Lifesaving equipment – barriers and emergency equipment]	Existing facilities are required to conform with requirements for barrier protection and emergency equipment requirements established in the design and construction sections of the regulations.	Existing facilities will have to continue to meet minimum barrier requirements allowed under the previous regulation, until they make renovation or upgrade by June 1, 2008. Existing facilities will need to meet emergency equipment requirements established for each type of pool. This will include upgrading phones for some facilities, but reductions of some first aid kit requirements and reaching poles for others.

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Table 3. Changes in the regulation that will affect all existing pool facilities regarding operation.

Table 3.
Sections with significant changes	Specific Changes	Comments on particular changes
Water Quality	Disinfection Table simplified, minimum levels modified, Maximum levels extended. New monitoring levels for ozone, copper, silver if used. Test kit ranges and capability modified. Additional criteria for alternative disinfectants. Testing for air quality when needed.	The disinfection table should be easier for operator interpretation with fewer values to work with for operation. The ozone and copper silver requirements are consistent with guidelines in use for over 12 years. Test kit ranges and accuracy more accurately meet with field conditions. Air monitoring problems have occurred in some indoor facilities and testing is needed when problems arise
Operation Requirements	Operation plan to include emergency response. Provision and when diving is allowed, to include in an operation plan. Food service requirements in operation section. Draining, cleaning and refilling for spas & spray pools. Signage: new detail on persons ill, persons in diapers wear protective coverings, persons at high risk [seizures, heart] warning, diving boards need instructional signage.	Adds some additional development for operation plans for selected risk criteria. The food service requirements are an operational issue for all pools. The routine cleaning of spas is no change, but recirculating spray pools need the same level of protection. The signage requirements have been modified to address key public health risk measures that have been demonstrated to be risk issues since the regulations were changed in 1990.
Closure Requirements	Multiple pools in same enclosure want to close one and leave other pool open for season: Provide ASTM safety cover for closed pool; or provide water quality and clarity in closed pool, or if subject to ice development, maintain ASTM safety cover. Abandoned pools: if pool not open for 12 months it is considered abandoned. Either provide ASTM safety cover or fill in pool	The old regulation had not addressed how to have a multiple pools in the same enclosure area be accessible, if one is intended to be closed for a season and another open year around. The regulations have extended the options for not only filling in a pool if it is no longer in use, but to have a provision to allow an ASTM safety cover. Pools not used in 12 months are defined as abandoned.
Animal Restrictions	Allowance of “service animals” at facility, not in the pool.	Our previous regulation only allowed “guide dogs” at the facility. It is now extended to allow “service animals” at the deck.

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Table 4. Changes that will affect General Use pools (or Limited Use pools operating intermittently/temporarily as a General Use pool).

Table 4.
Sections and subject with significant changes	Specific Changes	Comments on particular sections
Operation Requirements [Lifeguarding]	Provide lifeguarding at all times for swimming pools. Private clubs required to provide lifeguards only when used by persons 16 years of age and under	For many private club facilities this reduces the lifeguarding requirements to only guard when persons 16 years of age and under use the facility. For other private clubs this increases requirements to provide guards, but with new exceptions noted in the subsection.
Operation Requirements [Exceptions to lifeguarding]	Allows swim coaches, dive coaches and SCUBA instructors to substitute for lifeguards under conditions noted. Allows private club pools to provide shallow water lifeguards or attendants in 2 conditions: When used by persons 13-16 yrs of age in 5 feet of water or less Exception for all persons 16 yrs of age & under when entire pool is 4.5 feet or less in depth	This increases the types of people who can substitute for lifeguards for diving and scuba instruction with proper certification and oversight. Private clubs exceptions include the shallow water lifeguard and attendant designation for waters less than 4.5 to 5 feet in depth.
Operation Requirements [Emergency equipment]	Lifeguarded facilities no longer required to provide reaching poles or throwing buoys	Lifeguarded facilities are not instructed to use reaching or throwing devices for rescues, they provide actual rescues and the equipment was redundant.

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Table 5. Changes that will affect Limited Use pools.

Table 5.
Sections and subject with significant changes	Specific Changes	Comments on particular sections
Operation Requirements [Alcohol]	When alcohol is sold in the enclosed area of limited use pools, require lifeguard or attendant during these periods.	This simply adds the requirement to include and encourage a lifeguard. The skill level and preventive guarding could reduce risk.
Operation Requirements [Ongoing notification]	Provide notice to responsible adult of conditions that children 12 years of age and under not use without supervision and persons 13-17 years of age not use alone.	This is working to improve notifications to responsible guardians of specific conditions for use of the facility.
Operation Requirements [Enforcement]	When at pool, enforce condition that children 12 years of age and under are not there without adult supervision and persons 13-17 years of age are not alone.	While owner/operators of non-lifeguarded facilities do not have continuous supervision, there is a duty to protect when they become aware of children using a pool without supervision or for the older age group [13-17 years of age] to at least have a buddy system.
Operation Requirements [Organized programs]	When providing organized programs at facilities, it will be necessary to meet lifeguarding requirements the same as private clubs.	When limited use facilities have organized programs they have a need to meet the same guarding requirements as private clubs.
Operation Requirements [Telephone]	Provide a telephone within one minute of access to the pool.	This provides the higher level of response [advanced life support] when an EMS call is made for a potential drowning or serious neck injury.

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For questions regarding the Water Recreation Facilities regulations, please contact the Water Recreation Program Manager, Gary Fraser,or 360-236-3373.