POOL MAINTENANCE
● Methods of water purification, treatment, and disinfection. ● Lifesaving apparatuses. ● Measures to ensure the safety of bathers.
F.S. 514 and F.A.C. 64E-9 set the requirements that apply to pools and spas that are operated by a community association. The specific laws and regulations govern the following: ● Construction standards and the bacteriological, chemical, and physical quality of the water. The CAM’s role As in most maintenance areas, a CAM’s experience, knowledge and communication skills are a valuable asset to a community association. Often times new board members and/or new association members will not be as aware as a CAM in operation and local ordinances related to the association’s swimming pool and/or spa. While the board and residents like to consider their swimming pool their own private pool, the Florida Department of Health and other governance may look at it differently. Florida Department of Health Local County public health units and the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) regulate public swimming pools and bathing places. Each entity that owns a public swimming pool must obtain an operating permit from the FDOH that must be renewed annually. A pool that serves no more than 32 condominium or cooperative units or HOA parcels that are not operated as a public lodging establishment is exempt from supervision, except for water quality standards. A pool that serves more than 32 condominium or cooperative units and prohibits the rental or sublease of the units for periods Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act The federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBA) requires that each public swimming pool and spa drain cover or grate be equipped with an anti-entrapment system or device. Any pool that was built before January 1, 1993, and has a single main drain must be equipped with at least one of the following devices: ● A safety vacuum release system that stops operation of the pump, reverses the circulation flow, or otherwise provides A basic list (A complete list of requirements and regulations, are found in F.S. 514 and F.A.C. 64E-9.) The following information is a basic list that a community association, board, and management team must know and comply with includes but is not limited to the following: ● Dressing-room floors must have a smooth, slip-resistant finish and must slope to floor drains. ● The pH of the pool water must be maintained at 7.2-7.8. ● The free-active chlorine residual must be at least 1 part per million. ● Pool water shall be free of chloroform bacteria contamination. ● Test kits are required to be on the premises of all pools to determine free active chlorine and total chlorine: ○ The test kit shall be capable of measuring the level of disinfectant in the normal operating range. ○ If the following chemicals are fed or added to the pool water, then test kits for the specific chemicals must be used: cyanuric acid, sodium chloride, quaternary ammonium, ozone, and copper. ○ When silver is added as a supplemental disinfectant, a water analysis must be done every six months and be submitted to the FDOH (or its agents) upon request. ● The association must maintain a daily record regarding pool operation, usually using form #DH 921: ○ The association may use customized report forms provided that such forms contain the appropriate information. ○ The completed shall reflect manually conducted pool water tests for pH and disinfectant levels at least once
Public swimming pool includes any pool that is operated by a cooperative, condominium, or homeowners’ association of five or more residential units. The following are some of what a CAM and the boards of directors should be aware of in order to properly oversee the operations of the association’s swimming pools.
of less than 60 days must file applications, obtain approval of construction plans and obtain an initial operating permit from the FDOH. The FDOH will inspect the swimming pool annually, at the fee that is set forth in F.S.514.033(3), or upon request by a member, to determine compliance with FDOH rules. FDOH may not require compliance with the rules that are related to swimming pool lifeguard standards. Exempt pools are still subject to complaint investigations by local county public health units. a vacuum release at a suction outlet when a blockage is detected. ● A suction-limiting vent system with a tamper-resistant atmospheric opening. ● An automatic pump shut-off system. ● A gravity drainage system that uses a collector tank. ● A device or system that disables the drain. every 24 hours, and weekly testing for cyanuric acid when chlorinated isocyanates are used at spas and pools. ○ Any able person can test the pool water and record it in the report. ● Manual addition of chemicals will be allowed under special conditions and requires that the pool be closed prior to, and for at least one hour period, after addition or a longer period as necessary for sufficient and safe distribution of the chemical. After treatment for breakpoint chlorination and algae prevention, use of the pool can be resumed when the free chlorine levels drop to 10 mg/L. ● The association must store chemicals in a cool, dry, and well- ventilated area under a roof, in an area inaccessible to the public. Chemicals that emit corrosive fumes cannot be stored in the equipment room. Empty chemical containers must be stored and disposed of in such a manner that they are not accessible to the public. ● The pool recirculation system must be operated at all times when the pool is open for use. The recirculation system may be shut off three hours after the pool closes but must resume operation three hours before opening the pool. Shut down time must be controlled by a time clock. ● The pool and pool deck shall be kept free from sediment, floating debris, visible dirt and algae. Pools shall be refinished when the pool surfaces cannot be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition. ● Should a human fecal accident occur, the association must comply with all recommendations found in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC),"fecal accident response recommendation for aquatics staff” (as may be
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