Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 641 - Public Health Department › Chapter 15 - Swimming Pools and Spas › Rule 641-15.3 - Definitions and Abbreviations

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
Definitions.
"Air break"
is a piping arrangement in which a
				drain from a fixture, appliance or device discharges indirectly into a fixture,
				receptacle, or interceptor at a point below the flood-level rim of the
				receptacle.
"Air gap"
means the unobstructed vertical
				distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from an inlet
				pipe and the flood-level rim of a receptacle or floor drain.
"Board of health"
means a county, city, or
				district board of health.
"Body feed"
means the continuous addition of
				controlled amounts of filtering aid during the operation of a diatomaceous
				earth filter to maintain a permeable filter cake. This is sometimes referred to
				as a "slurry feed."
"Certified operator"
means a person who has:
1. Successfully completed the
			 Certified Pool/Spa Operator® course sanctioned by NSPF, the Aquatic
			 Facility Operator course sanctioned by NRPA, the Professional Pool & Spa
			 Operator course sanctioned by the APSP, the Licensed Aquatic Facility
			 Technician course sanctioned by the American Swimming Pool and Spa Association,
			 or an equivalent course approved by the department; and
2. Been recertified as required by the
			 sanctioning organization; and
3.
			 Obtained the continuing education required by 15.11 (2).
"Combined chlorine"
means nitrogen-chlorine
				compounds formed by the reaction of a chlorine disinfectant chemical with
				ammonia and organic nitrogen compounds as measured with a DPD
				(diethyl-p-phenylene diamine) test kit or as measured by another method
				approved by the department. Another term for combined chlorine is
				"chloramines."
"Construction"
means the installation of a new
				swimming pool facility. "Construction" includes modifications to an existing
				facility which change the total recirculated water volume or the total water
				surface area by 20 percent or more.
"Deck"
means a walkway immediately adjacent to
				a swimming pool.
"Decorative fountain"
means a basin equipped
				with water sprays or jets that does not serve primarily as a wading or swimming
				pool and whose drain is not directly connected to any type of suction device
				for removing or recirculating the water.
"Deep water"
means those areas of a swimming
				pool where the water is more than five feet deep.
"Department"
means the Iowa department of
				public health.
"Di-chlor"
means sodium
				dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate. Di-chlor is a form of chlorine that
				includes cyanuric acid in its formulation.
"Engineering plans"
means plans and
				specifications certified in accordance with the rules of the engineering and
				land surveying examining board or the architectural examining board by an
				engineer or architect licensed to practice in the state of Iowa.
"Equalizer"
means an arrangement including a
				pipe from an opening below the water level in a swimming pool or spa to the
				body of a skimmer and a normally closed valve at the skimmer body. The
				arrangement is designed to automatically prevent air from being drawn into the
				pump when the water level drops below the skimmer inlet. The equalizer opening
				in a swimming pool or spa is a fully submerged outlet.
"Facility"
means a building, fenced enclosure,
				or lot where there is at least one swimming pool or spa subject to regulation
				under Iowa Code chapter 1351 and these rules.
"Field fabricated,"
when applied to a sump or
				a cover/grate for a fully submerged outlet, means constructed on site with
				conventional building materials or of a size and shape different from readily
				available commercial sumps or cover/grates.
"Fill and drain wading pool"
means a wading
				pool having no recirculation system.
"Filter"
means a mechanical device for
				removing suspended particles from the swimming pool water and refers to the
				complete mechanism including all component parts.
"Flow rating,"
when applied to the cover/grate
				for a fully submerged outlet, means the maximum flow rate in gpm through the
				cover/grate that will not cause body or hair entrapment as determined by the
				test methods in the ASME standard.
"Fountain"
means a water fountain that is not
				established primarily for swimming or wading, but where swimming or wading is
				allowed, and that has a drain which is connected to a mechanical suction device
				for removing or recirculating the water.
"Free chlorine"
means the concentration of
				hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion in the swimming pool water as measured
				with a DPD (diethyl-p-phenylene diamine) test kit or as measured by another
				method approved by the department.
"Fully submerged outlet"
means an outlet that
				is completely under water when the water is at the normal operating
				level.
"Gravity outlet"
means an outlet that directly
				connects to a tank or other structure that is at atmospheric pressure. Water
				flows through a gravity outlet by the natural head of water over the
				outlet.
"Hose bib"
means a fresh-water outlet that is
				threaded to permit the attachment of a garden hose.
"Hydrostatic relief valve"
means a relief
				valve installed in the bottom of the swimming pool and designed to operate
				automatically when the swimming pool is empty, relieving the groundwater
				pressure around the structure by allowing the groundwater into the swimming
				pool tank.
"Inlet"
means a fitting or opening through
				which recirculation water enters the swimming pool.
"Inspection agency"
means the department, or a
				city, county or district board of health that has executed with the department
				pursuant to the authority of Iowa Code chapters 28E and 1351 an agreement to
				inspect swimming pool/spa facilities and enforce these rules. The authority of
				a city, county or district board of health is limited to the geographic area
				defined in the agreement executed with the department. Within the defined
				geographic area, the city, county or district board of health is the "local
				inspection agency."
"Leisure river"
means a closed-path channel of
				near constant depth with a river-like flow of water. A leisure river may
				include water features and play devices. Leisure rivers are also called "lazy
				rivers" or "slow rivers."
"Lifeguard."
1. "Certified lifeguard" means an individual
			 who holds current certification in one of the following courses and, where
			 applicable, current additional certification in American Red Cross first aid
			 and American Red Cross or American Heart Association infant, child and adult
			 CPR; two-person CPR, or equivalent first-aid and CPR certification approved by
			 the department:
* American Red Cross Lifeguard Training
* YMCA Lifeguarding
* Boy Scouts of America Lifeguard
2. "Licensed lifeguard" means an individual
			 who holds a current license from the National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard
			 Training Program in one of the following programs:
* National Pool and Waterpark Pool Lifeguard
* National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training
* National Pool and Waterpark Deep Water Lifeguard
NOTE: Lifeguard, CPR and first-aid training programs will
				sometimes be renamed or restructured by the sponsoring organization. American
				Red Cross lifeguard training now includes first aid and CPR; the lifeguard
				receives the lifeguard certificate and a CPR certificate. Separate CPR and
				first-aid training is available from the American Red Cross, the American Heart
				Association, and other providers. If there is a question whether a specific
				training course will meet the requirements of these rules, information about
				the course should be submitted to the department for evaluation.
"Main drain"
means the outlet(s) at the
				deepest part of a swimming pool or spa.
"Manufacturer's specifications"
means written
				guidelines established by a manufacturer for the installation and operation of
				the manufacturer's equipment.
"Multisection water recreation pool"
means a
				swimming pool with three or more distinct use areas such as, but not limited
				to, a zero-depth play area, a water slide landing area, a lap swim area, and a
				diving area.
"Outlet"
means a fitting or opening, including
				the main drain, through which water leaves the swimming pool or spa.
"Outlet system"
means an arrangement of
				components associated with one or more connected fully submerged outlets
				including the cover/grate(s), the sump(s), the piping, and the pump(s) if one
				or more pumps are directly connected to the outlet(s).
"Perimeter overflow gutter"
means a weir and
				trough around the perimeter of a swimming pool that is used to skim the surface
				of the water and return the water to the treatment system.
"Plunge pool"
means a pool designed to serve
				as a landing area for a water slide.
"Recirculation system"
means the pump(s),
				piping, inlets, outlets, filtration system, chemical feed systems and
				accessories provided to convey and treat the swimming pool or spa water to meet
				the water quality standards in these rules.
"Reconstruction"
means the replacement or
				modification of a swimming pool or spa shell or deck, a swimming pool or spa
				recirculation system, a perimeter overflow gutter or skimmer, or a bathhouse
				associated with a public swimming pool or spa. "Reconstruction" does not
				include the replacement of equipment or piping previously approved by the
				department, provided that the type and size of the equipment are not revised,
				nor does it include normal maintenance or repair.
"Residential swimming pool"
means any swimming
				pool that is used, or intended to be used, in connection with a single-family
				residence and that is available only to the family of the householder and the
				householder's private guests. A residential swimming pool used for any
				commercial purpose, including, but not limited to, swimming lessons or exercise
				classes, shall comply with the requirements of 15.4(6)
"n."
A
				residential swimming pool used for private swimming lessons for over 207 hours
				in a calendar month, or the number of hours prescribed by local ordinance
				applicable to such use of a residential swimming pool, whichever is greater,
				shall be considered a public swimming pool and shall be subject to all the
				requirements of this chapter. A residential swimming pool used for any other
				commercial purposes for more than 60 hours in a calendar month shall be
				considered a public swimming pool and shall be subject to all the requirements
				of this chapter.
"Shallow water"
means those areas of a
				swimming pool where the water is 5 ft deep or less.
"Shallow water guard."
1. "Certified shallow water guard" means a
			 person who has current certification in American Red Cross basic water rescue,
			 current certification in American Red Cross first aid, and current
			 certification in American Red Cross or American Heart Association infant, child
			 and adult CPR, or equivalent training approved by the department.
2. "Licensed shallow water guard" means a
			 person who holds a current license from the National Pool and Waterpark
			 Lifeguard Training Program as a National Pool and Waterpark Shallow Water
			 Waterpark Lifeguard.
NOTE: Water safety, CPR and first-aid training programs will
				sometimes be renamed or restructured by the sponsoring organization. If there
				is a question whether a specific training course will meet the requirements of
				these rules, information about the course should be submitted to the department
				for evaluation.
"Skimmer"
means a manufactured device designed
				to be directly connected to the recirculation pump suction and used to skim the
				swimming pool over a self-adjusting weir.
"Spa"
means a structure, chamber, or tank,
				such as a hot tub or whirlpool, that is designed for recreational or
				therapeutic use and is designed not to be drained, cleaned, and refilled after
				each individual use. A spa is designed to provide a means of agitation. A
				swimming pool with a bench equipped with agitation is not considered a spa
				provided that the bench length is no more than 10 percent of the swimming pool
				perimeter and that the water temperature is maintained at 90°F or less.
				Rules
				641-15.51 (135I)
				and
				641-15.52
				(135I) define minimum standards for the operation and design of spas.
"Speed slide"
means a water slide which is
				designed to enter users into a plunge pool or other deceleration arrangement at
				a speed of 30 ft per second or more.
"Spray pad"
means a constructed area equipped
				with water sprays or other water play features where the water is intended to
				contact the users. A spray pad includes no standing water. A spray pad uses
				water that is recirculated independently or from an associated swimming pool.
				Spray pads are also called "wet decks," "splash pads," "interactive play
				attractions," "water recreation attractions," and other names.
A play area with sprays or other features that includes no
				standing water and that uses only potable water that is not circulated (the
				water drains to waste) is not included in this definition.
"Suction outlet"
means an outlet that is
				directly connected to the inlet side of a circulation pump.
"Superchlorination"
means the addition of a
				chlorine disinfectant compound to a swimming pool or spa to a concentration at
				least ten times the combined chlorine concentration before the addition.
				Treatment of swimming pool or spa water with nonchlorine chemicals to eliminate
				or suppress combined chlorine is not superchlorination.
"Swimming pool"
means a structure, chamber,
				tank, or area constructed of man-made material through which water is
				circulated and that is designed and operated for recreation, training, or
				competition that includes full body contact with the water. This definition
				includes, but may not be limited to, swimming pools, wading pools, spray pads,
				leisure rivers, water slides, and wave pools. The swimming pool may be either
				publicly or privately owned. This definition includes, but is not limited to,
				swimming pools operated by cities, counties, public and private schools,
				hotels, motels, camps, apartments, condominiums, and health clubs and country
				clubs.
1. "Class A swimming pool" means
			 a swimming pool with a water surface area of 1500
			 ft2or more, except for wading pools.
2. "Class B swimming pool" means a swimming
			 pool with a water surface area of less than 1500
			 ft2.