Inspection Guides / Pools and spas
Public Pool, Hot Tub and Splash Pad Inspections
Public pools, hot tubs, wading pools and splash pads are inspected by public health too. Inspectors are looking at two things: whether the water is treated well enough to stop germs spreading, and whether the facility is safe enough to prevent injuries and drowning.
Which pools are inspected
The rules usually cover any pool or hot tub open to the public or to a group of people: municipal and community pools, hotel and motel pools, fitness club pools and hot tubs, school pools, water parks, wading pools and splash pads, and in many places pools at apartment and condominium buildings. Private backyard pools are not inspected.
Each province and state has its own regulations. They set the water-quality limits, the safety equipment required, supervision and lifeguard rules, and how often the operator must test the water. Inspections are often more frequent during the outdoor season, and many authorities also inspect when they receive a complaint.
What the water tests measure
The main measure is the level of disinfectant, usually free chlorine, which kills germs in the water. As a reference point, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 1 part per million (ppm) of free chlorine in pools and at least 3 ppm in hot tubs, with a pH between 7.2 and 7.8. Local regulations set their own limits, which are often similar.
pH matters because chlorine works much less effectively when pH is too high, and water that is too acidic irritates eyes and skin. Inspectors also check total alkalinity, combined chlorine (chloramines, which form when chlorine reacts with sweat and urine and cause the strong "chlorine smell" and red eyes), water clarity, and the temperature of hot tubs, which is commonly capped at 40 °C (104 °F).
Illnesses pools and hot tubs can spread
Recreational water illnesses are spread by swallowing, breathing in or having contact with contaminated water. The most common cause of pool-related diarrhea outbreaks in the United States is Cryptosporidium, a parasite that can survive for days even in properly chlorinated water. That is why one person swimming with diarrhea can make many others sick, and why pools close for a period after a fecal accident.
Hot tubs bring their own risks. Warm water breaks down chlorine quickly, which can allow Pseudomonas bacteria to cause an itchy rash known as hot tub folliculitis, and Legionella bacteria can grow in poorly maintained hot tubs and cause a serious pneumonia, Legionnaires' disease, when people breathe in the mist.
Safety checks
Inspectors check that required safety equipment is present and in good condition: a reaching pole, a ring buoy or throwing aid, a first-aid kit, and an emergency phone or posted emergency instructions. They look at depth markings and no-diving signs, fencing and self-closing gates, ladders and handrails, and slip hazards on the deck.
Drain covers get particular attention. A broken or missing drain cover can trap a swimmer underwater with powerful suction, which is why U.S. federal law has required anti-entrapment drain covers on public pools and spas since 2008. Inspectors also check supervision rules, such as whether a lifeguard must be on duty or whether signs warn that no lifeguard is present.
Records and closures
Operators are usually required to test the water several times a day while the pool is open and to record the results in a log. Inspectors review these logs to see whether the water was properly treated between visits, not just on the day of the inspection. Missing or incomplete logs are a common finding.
An inspector can close a pool or hot tub on the spot when there is an immediate hazard, for example when there is no measurable disinfectant, when the water is too cloudy to see the main drain at the deepest point, when a drain cover is broken, or when required supervision is missing. The facility can reopen once the problem is fixed and, in many places, once an inspector confirms it.
What you can check before you swim
You can do a quick check of your own. Make sure you can clearly see the drain at the bottom of the deep end. A strong chemical smell usually signals chloramines and poorly managed water rather than extra-clean water. Look for slippery or sticky tiles, broken or missing drain covers, and missing safety equipment, and check whether a lifeguard is on duty if one is required. Some facilities post their latest test results.
You can protect other swimmers too: do not swim if you have had diarrhea in the last two weeks, shower before getting in, and take young children on regular bathroom breaks. If something seems wrong, tell staff, and if it is not fixed, report it to your local health department.
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