California Code of Regulations › Title 22 - Social Security › Division 4 - Environmental Health › Chapter 20 - Public Swimming Pools › Article 3 - Maintenance and Operation › Section 65546 - Fecal, Vomit, Blood Contamination, and near-Drowning or Drowning Incident Response

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a)
				  In responding to a fecal, vomit, blood contamination, near-drowning or drowning
				  incident, the pool operator shall perform the following disinfection
				  procedures:
(1) After a fecal, vomit, blood
				  contamination, near-drowning, or drowning incident, the pool operator shall
				  immediately close the affected public pool to pool users. If the public pool is
				  one of multiple public pools that use the same filtration system, then all
				  interconnected public pools shall be closed to pool users. No one shall be
				  allowed to enter the public pool(s) until the disinfection procedures have been
				  completed.
(2) The pool operator
				  shall remove contaminating material and discharge the contaminating material
				  directly to the sanitary sewer or other approved wastewater-disposal process in
				  accordance with State or local requirements. The pool operator shall clean and
				  disinfect the item used to remove the contaminating material.
(3) The pool operator shall ensure that the
				  pH of the public pool water is at 7.5 or lower.
(4) The pool operator shall measure and
				  maintain the public pool water temperature at 77°F (25°C) or
				  higher.
(5) The pool operator shall
				  ensure that the filtration system is operating while the public pool reaches
				  and maintains the required free-chlorine concentration during the disinfection
				  process.
(6) The pool operator
				  shall disinfect the public pool water as follows:
(A) If the contaminating material is a formed
				  fecal stool or vomit, the pool operator shall maintain the free-chlorine
				  concentration in the pool at 2 ppm for at least 25 minutes.
(B) If the fecal material is a diarrheal
				  stool, the pool operator shall raise the free-chlorine concentration in the
				  pool to 20 ppm and maintain that concentration for at least 12.75 hours. If
				  that public pool water contains a chlorine stabilizer such as cyanuric acid,
				  the pool operator shall lower the pH to 6.5 and raise the free-chlorine
				  concentration in the public pool to 40 ppm and maintain that concentration for
				  at least 30 hours.
(C) If the
				  contaminating material is blood, the pool operator shall check the
				  free-chlorine concentration in the public pool at the time of the incident. If
				  it is below the required minimum free-chlorine concentration, the pool operator
				  shall immediately close the public pool until the required minimum
				  free-chlorine concentration is achieved.
(7) The pool operator shall test the
				  free-chlorine residual at multiple points to ensure the required free-chlorine
				  concentration is achieved throughout the public pool water for the entire
				  disinfection time.
(8) The pool
				  operator shall replace any affected cartridge filters and shall backwash
				  noncartridge filters after the disinfection process has been completed. The
				  pool operator shall ensure the effluent is discharged directly to the sanitary
				  sewer or other approved wastewater-disposal process in accordance with State or
				  local requirements. The pool operator shall not return the filter backwash
				  water to the pool. The pool operator shall replace the filter media if
				  necessary.
(9) The pool operator
				  shall not allow pool users back into the public pool until the disinfection
				  process has been completed and the free-chlorine concentration and pH of the
				  public pool water have returned to normal operating ranges in accordance with
				  sections 65529 and
				  65530.