About the program
The Fairfield County Health Department inspects public swimming pools, spas, and special use pools to prevent injury, minimize the potential for disease transmission, and provide a safe and healthy aquatic recreational environment.
Ohio Administrative Code 3701-31 (opens in a new window, leaves this site) regulates the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of public pools, spas, and special use pools.
The Virginia Graeme Baker Act (opens in a new window, leaves this site), federal legislation effective December 19, 2008, requires all public pools, spas, and special use pools to have anti-entrapment and anti-evisceration mechanisms in place. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) enforces this legislation, and all of Ohio's public pools must comply.
Healthy swimming
Recreational water illnesses are caused by germs that can contaminate water in pools, lakes, and oceans. The most common pool-related illness is diarrhea, caused by Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and E. coli. A person with diarrhea can contaminate a pool, and swimmers who swallow contaminated water can become ill.
Public pools, spas, and special use pools must maintain disinfectant levels that destroy disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Some parasites, like Cryptosporidium, can survive in a pool for days even with proper disinfectant levels.
Three steps for all swimmers
- Don't swim when you have diarrhea, you can spread germs and make others sick.
- Don't swallow the pool water; avoid getting it in your mouth.
- Practice good hygiene, shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
Three steps for parents of young kids
- Take kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often. Waiting to hear "I have to go" may be too late.
- Change diapers in a bathroom or diaper-changing area, never at poolside.
- Wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming.
For more on recreational water illnesses, visit the CDC Healthy Swimming (opens in a new window, leaves this site) program.