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Have you ever felt a degree of panic in wondering whether a pool was in compliance with the requirements of the public health code? Or how about conducting repairs or a renovation only to find the job does not comply with the governing health code? This has been the case for many pool operators in trying to comply with a myriad of issues, including the drain-entrapment requirements in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
Currently, all public swimming pool codes are developed and approved by state and/or local public-health officials or building departments. Conditions that are allowed in one county may be outlawed in an adjoining county. There are some areas in the United States where there are no codes or standards for public swimming pools at all. As a result, there are no uniform or national code standards for the construction, renovation, or operation of a public swimming pool or spa.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has conducted several studies regarding the safety and reliability in maintaining and operating public pools. According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on May 21, 2010, the agency reviewed 121,020 health department public pool inspection reports from 15 state and local agencies in 2008. Of those inspections, 73,953 (61.1 percent) identified one or more code violations, with 13,532 of the inspections (12.1 percent) resulting in immediate closures of the pool(s). Based on those studies, the CDC concluded that a comprehensive, uniform national standard for public swimming pools could help prevent disease and injuries, and promote healthy recreational experiences. Thus, the concept of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) was created.
