A swimming pool is a structure containing water for swimming or recreation. Naturally, pool water is exposed to pollutions from the bathers and the environment.
In order to safeguard public health, the Ministry of Health has put together regulations for public swimming pools, which are intended to prevent potential harm to public health, both from the bathing water and from the pool facilities (for example: the changing rooms, restrooms, the pool grounds etc.).
A swimming pool is required to have a water treatment system which includes a computerized control system to control and monitor the water quality (turbidity and disinfectant residues).
According to the regulations, the pool water will be disinfected constantly with chlorine, bromine or other disinfectant that has been approved by the manager. In pool water that was disinfected with a substance or process not based on chlorine, the disinfection level will be equivalent to the values listed in the regulation.
As of today it is not mandatory to install additional disinfection systems (such as UV disinfection) beyond those required by the regulations. Adding other barriers will aid in maintaining water quality and public health. Additional disinfection systems are not a substitute for the requirement of residual disinfectant in the water or other quality requirements, as demanded by the regulations and they can be incorporated with the chlorine disinfection systems.
Additional disinfection systems in the pool must be submitted for approval by the Ministry of Health.
In addition, the pool owners are required to perform chemical and microbial laboratory tests of the water quality for the presence of harmful bacteria. Abnormal results are reported to the Ministry of Health.
Each site must employ a pool operator who underwent qualification approved by the Ministry of Health.
The regulations specify additional requirements regarding shading, restrooms, changing rooms and pool ground.
A pool business license guarantees that the pool is supervised by the local authority and the Ministry of Health. The public is advised to make sure the pool has a license before bathing.
Approval receipt process from the Department of Environmental Health
A pool place of business requires an approval from the Enviromental Health Department at the Health Bureau in the pool’s district in the following instances:
1. A new business - as part of the procedure for obtaining a business license
2. A pool operating with a valid license - before the opening of the bathing season
New business
The local authority will forward the application and attached documents to the District Health Bureau (the Environmental Health Department).
After receiving the application from the local authority, a date will be scheduled for a review by the Environmental Health Department at the pool grounds in order to check if the pool and facilities meet the criteria stipulated in the regulations.
According to the inspection’s results, one of the following will be issued for the local authority
- Approval
- Stipulated approval
- Approval rejection
Note that the approval is only from the sanitary aspect and does not constitute a consent on the part of the local authority to grant a business license.
Annual Ministry of Health approval for opening the pool prior to the beginning of the bathing season
The Environmental Health Department will hold an inspection at the pool grounds and will check that the pool meets the regulations.
According to the findings, the pool owner will be issued an approval, a stipulated approval or an approval rejection for operating the pool.
If the pool owner did not receive an approval to operate the pool, he is required to fix the faults and contact the Health Bureau again to schedule another inspection. If the faults have not been fixed, the pool must not be opened for bathing.
