SD9 - Regulation of Swimming Pools and Other Recreational Bathing Facilities in Virginia
Executive Summary: Public swimming pools, spas and hydrotherapy pools are usually operated by public or private agencies, such as apartment developments, communities, schools, clubs and hospitals. Because of their availability to the public, pools should be under the supervision of a health regulatory agency. Supervision should be specifically described in sanitary codes adopted and enforced by a state health department. In the absence of these established standards for public pools, swimmers may be susceptible to a variety of water-borne pathogens. (J. Burn Care Rehab 1989; 10:pp 74-78). Numerous infectious diseases have been contracted from bacterial contamination of unsanitary pool waters. Among these are skin, gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections. These consequences of inadequate pool sanitation and safety standards also become potential sources of litigation against pool operators. In an effort to protect the bather, state health agencies must identify practices and standards for the safe operation and maintenance of swimming pools, spas and hydrotherapy pools. In 1962, the Board of Health of the Commonwealth of Virginia adopted regulations for swimming pools that were limited to tourist establishments (hotels, lodging places and campgrounds). This leaves many types of public and private pools, spas and hydrotherapy pools which are not currently regulated for maintenance or safety. These include facilities In the following: apartment and condominium developments; private residences; private swim clubs, schools; colleges and universities; hospitals or nursing homes; day care centers or other child care facilities; spas at health clubs and other facilities not associated with tourist facilities; and public pools not in regulated tourist facilities. The current swimming pool regulations recommend that the chlorination equipment be operated so as to have a free chlorine residual content of not less than 0.5 ppm and a hydrogen concentration (pH) of 7.2 or above. These standards, however, have been revised and upgraded by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. Depending on pH, a free chlorine concentration of 0.4 to 1.0 ppm should be maintained at all times and is currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. (The Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Jan. 1985, p 10). While the Virginia Health Department had limited jurisdiction over public swimming pools, it documented in 1982 one of the consequences of inadequate pool maintenance in a club swimming pool. These findings implicated the pool water as the cause of dental enamel erosion in competitive swimmers who swam in a private club pool. Because this report did not serve as a catalyst for either revision of the outdated regulations or expansion of their jurisdiction, the current study was undertaken to evaluate the need for better monitoring of the sanitary quality of public hydrotherapy facilities and swimming pools not located in tourist establishment facilities. |
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