The swimming pool and spa program aims to prevent recreational water illness and accidents at public swimming pools. Our inspectors routinely inspect every public swimming pool (while open to the public). The inspectors check water quality, maintenance of filtration and circulation equipment, safety equipment, record-keeping, and the maintenance of the overall facility.
Operators must keep a weekly log of the water quality tests, accidents (fecal, vomitus, and injury as they happen), and chemicals added on a Weekly Operation Report.
If a pool or spa gets contaminated with fecal or vomitus material, the operator must follow the Fecal Incident Flow Chart.
Plan approval for substantial alteration of public swimming pool:
If a pool or spa is renovated or substantially altered, plans must be submitted to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), and written approval must be received before any work is started. Visit the ODH website to access their Plan Review Application. The following activities qualify as a substantial alteration or substantial alteration:
- Construction that changes the depth, shape, or the other basic design features of a public swimming pool or spa in a manner that affects pool or spa patron safety or circulation system design; adds a special feature or changes a deck, the basic design of a diving board, or the perimeter barrier.
- Complete replacement of the recirculation system.
- Installation of a diving board or diving stand, except for a replacement.
- Replacement of all return piping or all skimmer piping from the filter room to the pool or the main drain fitting and pipe.
- Replacement of more than 50 percent of the gutter overflow system or more than 50 percent of the total number of inlets and outlets.
Equipment Replacement:
To replace equipment, you must first get approval from the Ohio Department of Health by submitting an equipment approval form. Equipment replacement refers to one of the following:
- Replacement of a disinfection reagent feed device with one using a different reagent, a different method of delivery or a different flow capacity.
- Replacement of an individual filter with one using a different media or a different filtration rate or backwash capacity.
- Replacement of an individual pump with one that has a different horsepower or pump flow capacity.
- Submit the Equipment Replacement Notification (ERN) form to ODH. Click the following link for Online Application or Paper Application.
Public Swimming Pool and Spa Drowning Prevention Program:
Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in children ages 1 to 4 in Ohio. It is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in children ages 5 to 9 and 10 to 14.
Survivors of severe drowning incidents can experience long-term disabilities, including memory problems, learning deficiencies, and loss of basic cognitive functioning.
The Ohio Department of Health’s Public Swimming Pool and Spa Drowning Prevention Program collects data from drowning incidents to help identify opportunities for prevention methods to reduce the number of serious injuries.
Any incident associated with a public swimming pool or spa facility that results in death, serious injury, or assistance from emergency medical personnel shall be reported to the licensor within 72 hours following the incident.
“Serious injury” is defined as an injury that does not require immediate hospital admission but does require medical treatment other than first aid. Voluntary reporting of other injuries is highly encouraged.
Injuries should be reported using the “Ohio Public Swimming Pool and Spa Injury Report Form” (HEA 0203). Instructions for reporting can be found here: “Completing the Ohio Public Swimming Pool and Spa Injury Report Form”.
You can contact the Ohio Department of Health for further information concerning plan review requirements.
