Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 007 - ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH › Division 04 - Environmental Health Services › Rule 007.04.12-001 - Regulations Pertaining to Swimming Pools and Other Related Facilities

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
SECTION I.
AUTHORITY.
The following Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Swimming
			 Pools and Other Related Facilities are duly adopted and promulgated by the
			 Arkansas State Board of Health Pursuant to the authority expressly conferred by
			 the Laws of the State of Arkansas including without limitation, Act 96 of 1913,
			 as amended (A.C.A.
			 20-7-109
			 ), and Act 623 of 1987, as amended (A.C.A.
			 20-30-103
			 et. seq.).
SECTION II.
PURPOSE.
To protect the health of the citizens of Arkansas by
			 establishing criteria for the design, operation and maintenance of public
			 swimming pools and other related facilities.
SECTION III.
DEFINITIONS.
*
Abbreviations
(technical) include:
"DE" means diatomaceous earth "fps" means feet per second
"gpm"
means gallons per minute
"ppm"
means parts per
				million
*
Alteration/Renovation
means replacement of any
				portion of the recirculation system including pool/spa plumbing or perimeter
				overflow/skimmer equipment, pumps, filters, or disinfection units, or
				modification of the physical structure of the pool or spa, or any change that
				would not conform to the original specifications. This does not include repair
				of small sections of pipes due to leaking, or maintenance activities such as
				painting, plastering or acid washing.
*
ANSI
means the American National Standard
				Institute, Incorporated.
*
Anti-entrapment Drain or Cover
means a drain
				with a raised cover or design which allows horizontal flow of water into the
				drain rather than a vertical flow. The purpose of the design is to prevent the
				dangerous suction effect on a body, limb, hair entanglement or physical object
				which may come in contact with the drain.
*
APSP
means Association of Pool and Spa
				Professionals
*
Automatic Controllers
means integrated
				electrical/electronic equipment, connected to chemical feed equipment which
				continuously monitors and controls the pH level and chorine/bromine residual of
				swimming pool water.
*
Backflow Preventer
means a device used to
				protect a water supply from contamination or pollution.
*
Backwash
means the process of thoroughly
				cleansing the filter media and/or elements and the contents of the filter
				vessel.
*
Barrier
means a wall, building, fence or any
				combination of these which control access to the pool area. This barrier shall
				be of such construction as to provide reasonable protection for the safety of
				the public.
* Break Point Chlorination
means the process of
				adding enough free chlorine to chemically oxidize and remove combined chlorine
				(chloramines) from pool or spa water. Commonly referred to as "shocking" a
				pool. The additional free chlorine amount needed is typically calculated: ten
				(10) times the combine chlorine (CC) amount minus the existing free chlorine
				(FC) residual. (10 x CC) - (FC) = amount of additional chlorine needed to shock
				the pool.
*
Cartridge Filter
means a filter that utilizes a
				porous material as its media.
*
CDC
means Center for Disease Control and
				Prevention
*
Chlorine Demand
means the materials in the water
				which use up chlorine such as bacteria, algae, dirt, leaves and swimmer wastes.
				The chlorine demand must be satisfied before a chlorine residual is available
				to disinfect the pool water.
*
Chlorine Residual
means the chlorine level in
				the water after the chlorine demand has been satisfied. The free chorine
				residual is the true measure of potential chlorine disinfection and is the
				active chlorine that kills bacteria and algae. The active form of chlorine in
				water is known as Hypochlorous Acid.
*
Combined Chlorine
means the amount of chlorine
				that has reacted with the organic substances in the water, forming compounds
				known as chloramines.
*
Controlled Limited-Use Spa
means any spa where
				access to the spa unit is strictly controlled by the management by one or more
				of the following:
1. Location of the
			 unit, e.g., installed in individual rooms with sleeping accommodations or on
			 decks for individual units such as cabins
2. The number of patrons allowed to use the
			 spa at any one time, e.g. in massage therapy, wellness centers or similar
			 operations with supervised use
3.
			 Locked control panels where use of the spa must be scheduled through the
			 management
4. Limiting the hours of
			 use, e.g., in retirement centers
*
Coping
means the covering which joins the top of
				the pool wall with the decking and is considered part of the deck.
*
Critical Item
as stated in Act 623 of 1987 as
				amended, means those aspects of operation or conditions of facilities or
				equipment, which, if in violation constitute the greatest hazards to health and
				safety, including imminent health hazard. Any pool may be subject to immediate
				closure whenever a critical item(s) are noted. These include:
1. Restriction of employees with
			 infection
2. Approved water supply,
			 hot and cold running water under pressure
3. Sewage, liquid waste disposal
4. No cross connection, back
			 siphonage
5. Safety
6. Excessive turbidity
7. Failure to maintain proper chemical
			 levels
8. Failure or lack of
			 filtration, sanitizing and cleaning equipment and chemicals
9. Absence or lack of required supervisory
			 personnel
*
Cross Connection
means any physical arrangement
				connecting:
1. A potable water system
			 directly or indirectly, with anything other than another potable water system:
			 or
2. Pool water to any potable or
			 nonpotable water source capable of contaminating either the pool water, its
			 components, or portable water source due to backflow.
*
Dead Spots
means places in the pool/spa where
				filtered/disinfected water does not reach because of poor circulation.
*
Department
means the Arkansas Department of
				Health or, where required, employees authorized by the Department.
*
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
means the type of filter
				medium that is obtained from the fossil remains of microscopic marine organisms
				and that is used in a thin coating over the filter septa.
* Fill-and-Draw Pool or Spa
means a pool or spa
				which is drained, cleaned and refilled after each individual use.
*
Filter
means a device that separates solid
				particles from pool water by recirculating through a porous substance (filter
				media or cartridge element).
*
Filter Media
means the fine material which
				entraps suspended particles from the water. These include sand, DE and sand/DE
				substitutes.
*
Filter Septa
means that part of the filter
				element consisting of cloth, wire, screen or other porous material on which DE
				or similar media are deposited.
*
General Public
means all people without
				restriction.
*
Hose Bibb
means a water faucet with male screw
				threads for attaching a hose.
*
Hydrostatic Relief Valve
means a device used to
				relieve ground water pressure imposed on the outer shell of the pool. These are
				usually installed in the main drain(s).
*
Imminent Health Hazard
means any condition,
				deficiency, or practice which, if not corrected, is very likely to result in
				illness, injury or loss of life to any person.
*
Inlet
means the fitting or opening through which
				filtered water enters the pool.
*
Lifeguard
means an individual who has
				demonstrated competency in water safety and lifesaving. The pool owner shall
				determine competency.
*
Main Drain
means the outlet(s) at the bottom
				portion of the pool or spa. These outlets are suction outlets connected to the
				recirculation piping.
*
Maximum Flow Rate
means the maximum filtration
				rate times the square footage of filter provided, i.e., GPM/sq. ft. x sq. ft.
				of filter area=GPM.
*
Minimum Flow Rate
means the least flow of water
				measured in gpm through the water treatment system that must be maintained to
				provide adequate treatment. GPM is calculated by dividing the volume of the
				pool, in gallons, by the required turnover time, in minutes.
* NSF means the National Sanitation Foundation.
*
Overflow System
means perimeter type overflow,
				surface skimmers and surface water collection systems of various design and
				manufacture.
* Perimeter Overflow
means a gutter or trough
				around the inside of the pool walls, with the overflow lip effecting a skimming
				action to clean the pool water surface.
*
Person
means any individual, partnership, firm,
				corporation, agency, municipality, state or political subdivision, or the
				federal government and its agencies and departments.
* pH means the measure of the degree of acid or alkaline
				qualities a solution possesses, as determined by its hydrogen ion content. A pH
				below 7.0 is considered acid; a pH of 7.0 is considered neutral; a pH above 7.0
				is considered alkaline.
*
Pool Area
means the water surface and deck
				area.
*
Pool Deck
means the paved area around the pool
				including the coping.
*
Pool Operator
means the person or persons
				responsible for the daily maintenance and operation of the pool or other
				related facility.
*
Pool/Spa Depth
means the distance between the
				floor of the pool and the normal operating water level when the pool or spa is
				in use.
*
Precoat Pot
means a hopper with a valved
				connection to the suction side of the recirculation pump of pressure DE filter
				systems that are used for coating the filter media prior to filtering water
				through the system.
*
Public Swimming Pool
as stated in Act 623 of
				1987, as amended, means a structure of all man-made materials, located either
				indoors or outdoors, used for bathing or swimming, together with buildings,
				appurtenances, and equipment used in connection therewith. Included are
				spa-type, wading, special purpose pools or water recreation attractions
				including but not limited to those operated at apartment buildings,
				municipalities, counties, institutions, schools, motels, hotels, and mobile
				home parks to which admission may be gained with or without payment of a fee.
				This definition shall not apply to private pools at single-family
				residences.
For the purposes of this regulation, public swimming pools have
				been categorized into the following classes:
*
Class
A
Pool
means any pool
				intended for, or used by, the general public for recreational use, owned and
				operated by any person, firm corporation, institution, association, club or any
				political subdivision of the State of Arkansas.
*
Class B Pool
means any pool not open to the
				general public, but open rather to a limited group, such as institutions,
				schools, child care facilities, resident subdivisions or similar developments,
				camps, day camps, recreational facilities, or pools of similar usage and type.
				Or any pool whose use is restricted to residents, members or registered guests,
				including but not limited to hotels, motels, apartments, trailer parks/mobile
				home parks, churches and condominiums. Also included are country clubs, YWCA or
				YMCA health or athletic clubs, and pools of similar type and usage.
*
Class C Special Purpose Pool
means any pool
				whose design and/or use is significantly different from a swimming pool. This
				includes, but is not limited to water recreation attractions, scuba pools, zero
				depth entry pools, instructional pools, water slides, spray grounds and spray
				pools. Or any pool intended for use for accredited competitive aquatic events
				such as Federation International de Natation Amateur (FINA), U.S. Swimming,
				U.S. Diving, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), National
				Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA), etc. The pool may also
				be used for recreation.
*
Class D Wading Pool
means a small pool for
				non-swimming children with a maximum depth not greater than 24 inches.
* Class E Therapy Pools/Spas
means any treatment
				spa/pool and special spas/pools for water therapy. Fill-and-drain water therapy
				spas used for treatment of athletes or other medical treatment purposes are
				exempt from these rules and regulations.
*
Class
F
Spas
means any commercial
				whirlpool, hot tub, or spa designed for recreation, or relaxation use, in
				combination with hydrojet circulation, air induction systems, or other
				circulation systems using hot, cold, or ambient water temperature. These
				facilities have a maximum water depth of four (4) feet and are not used for
				swimming or diving. This section does not apply to fill-and-draw spas, which
				are drained, cleaned and refilled after each individual use.
Spas operated in connection with Bed & Breakfast facilities
				with less than 6 sleeping rooms and/or less than 10 guests are exempt from
				these rules and regulations.
Controlled, limited use spas shall be considered Special
				Purpose spas and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
*
Private Residential Pool
means any individually
				owned swimming pool which is built in connection with a single-family residence
				the use of which shall be confined to the family of the owner and his guests.
				This shall not include any type of cooperative housing or joint tenancy of two
				or more families, and shall be located within the same property boundary as the
				family dwelling building to which it serves.
* Rate-of-Flow Indicator
means a device installed
				on the pool recirculation piping or backwash line to indicate recirculation
				flow of the pool or backwash flow in gallons per minute.
*
Readily Accessible
means an item or device that
				is capable of being reached and utilized quickly for operation, safety or
				inspection purposes without requiring those to whom use is essential to climb
				over, remove obstacles, and search for intended item/device, or anything else
				that requires undo time to utilize.
*
Scuba Pool
means a special purpose pool designed
				with the intent of training scuba divers.
*
Serious Injury
means any injury: Requiring
				emergency service response where a person needs medical treatment as determined
				by the emergency response personnel; and/or resulting in a person seeking
				medical attention at a hospital emergency room or admission to a
				hospital.
*
Spray pool/Spray ground
means an artificial pool
				for use by children into which water is sprayed but is not allowed to pond in
				the bottom of the pool.
*
Stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid)
means a chemical that
				helps prolong the useful life of chlorine in the water by slowing down chlorine
				loss due to sunlight.
*
Surface Skimmer
means a device used to remove
				surface debris from the pool over a self-adjusting weir.
*
Surge Tank
means a tank receiving the gravity
				flow water from the overflow gutter and main drain(s) from which the
				recirculation pump takes suction. This may also be referred to as a balance
				tank.
*
Turbidity
means a cloudy condition of the water
				due to the presence of extremely fine particulate materials in suspension that
				interfere with the passage of light.
*
Turnover
means the period of time (usually in
				hours) required to circulate a volume of water equal to the pool capacity. The
				turnover rate is the number of times a quantity of water equal to the pool
				capacity passes through the filters within a stated time (usually turnovers per
				day).
* UL means Underwriters Laboratory.
* Water Recreation Attraction
means a swimming
				facility open to the general public with design and operational features that
				provides patron recreational activity which is different from that associated
				with a conventional swimming pool in that the purpose fully involves immersion
				of the body partially or totally in the water. Water recreation attractions
				include, but are not limited to, water amusement lagoons, water slides and wave
				pools.
*
Water Slide
means a special purpose facility
				which consists of one or more flumes, a plunge pool, pump reservoir,
				filtration, disinfection and chemical treatment facilities.