University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER 31.

Swimming Pools.[409]

§ 31-1. "Swimming pool" defined.

§ 31-2. Permits—Required; applications; granting.

§ 31-3. Same—Revocation.

§ 31-4. Inspections by health officer; publishing reports.

§ 31-5. Supervision by trained operator required.

§ 31-6. Presence of swimming instructor or attendant required; authority.

§ 31-7. Solo bathing prohibited.

§ 31-8. Entrance of persons when pool empty.

§ 31-9. Lining of floors and walls.

§ 31-10. Slope of floor; minimum depth at deep end; marking depth.

§ 31-11. Scum gutters.

§ 31-12. Steps and ladders.

§ 31-13. Runways.

§ 31-14. Location of inlet and outlet pipes.

§ 31-15. Size of pool.

§ 31-16. Toilet facilities.

§ 31-17. Showers.

§ 31-18. Artificial lighting facilities.

§ 31-19. Ventilation.

§ 31-20. Required temperature for pool room, dressing rooms, etc.

§ 31-21. Dressing room floors.

§ 31-22. Construction and height of diving boards and platforms.

§ 31-23. Water—Approval of source and method of purification.

§ 31-24. Same—Chlorinating.

§ 31-25. Same—Clearness.

§ 31-26. Same—Required temperature.

§ 31-27. Same—Purity.

§ 31-28. Same—Frequency of changing.

§ 31-29. Same—Frequency of disinfection.

§ 31-30. Same—Tests for excess chlorine.

§ 31-31. Same—Tests for acidity and alkalinity.

§ 31-32. Bathers to take cleansing baths.

§ 31-33. Suits and towels.

§ 31-34. Spitting, blowing nose, etc., in pool.

§ 31-35. Excluding persons with communicable diseases.

§ 31-36. Instructing and warning bathers.

§ 31-37. Rough play, etc., prohibited.

§ 31-38. Operating record required; matters to be recorded.

§ 31-39. Placards to be posted.

Sec. 31-1. "Swimming pool" defined.

The term "swimming pool," as used in this chapter, shall
mean any public swimming pool, or bathing place, with water
sufficiently deep for complete immersion of the body and used
collectively by numbers of persons, together with the buildings
and equipment pertaining to such places. (Code 1959, §
31-1.)

Sec. 31-2. Permits—Required; applications; granting.

No person shall construct, add to, modify or operate any
public swimming pool without first obtaining a permit from
the health officer. The application for a permit shall be accompanied
by detailed maps, drawings and descriptions of the
structure, appurtenances and methods of operation, a description
of the source of water supply, the methods of purification
and any other information required by the health officer. The
health officer, in cooperation with the city engineer, shall determine
whether or not the proposed pool may be expected
to comply with the requirements of this chapter, and if so,
shall grant the application for a permit. (Code 1959, § 31-2.)

Sec. 31-3. Same—Revocation.

Any permit may be revoked or suspended at any time by
the health officer, if he finds the swimming pool is being conducted
in an insanitary manner or is dangerous to the public
health. (Code 1959, § 31-3.)

Sec. 31-4. Inspections by health officer; publishing reports.

The health officer, or his representative, may enter the
premises of any swimming pool at any time for the purpose
of inspection. Reports of inspections may be published, or
posted, at the discretion of the health officer. (Code 1959, §
31-4.)

Sec. 31-5. Supervision by trained operator required.

Each swimming pool shall be operated under the close
supervision of a well-trained operator. (Code 1959, § 31-5.)

Sec. 31-6. Presence of swimming instructor or attendant required;
authority.

A swimming instructor, bathing master or qualified attendant
shall be on duty at the pool side at all times when a pool
is open to use by bathers. Such attendant shall be in full
charge of bathers and have authority to enforce all rules of
safety and sanitation. (Code 1959, § 31-6.)

Sec. 31-7. Solo bathing prohibited.

Solo bathing shall be prohibited and no one shall be permitted
in the swimming pool room unless an attendant is
present. (Code 1959, § 31-7.)

Sec. 31-8. Entrance of persons when pool empty.

Whenever a swiming pool is empty, the entrance of all
persons, except the pool attendant, shall be prevented. (Code
1959, § 31-8.)

Sec. 31-9. Lining of floors and walls.

Swimming pools shall be lined with such material that the
walls and floors shall be impervious to water, smooth and
easily cleaned. The lining shall be white, or a light color,
preferably tile or glazed brick. The light color shall not be
obtained by painting. (Code 1959, § 31-9.)

Sec. 31-10. Slope of floor; minimum depth at deep end; marking
depth.

The slope of any swimming pool floor shall not be more
than one foot in fifteen feet. The minimum depth at the deep
end shall be six feet. The depth shall be marked at frequent
intervals. (Code 1959, § 31-10.)

Sec. 31-11. Scum gutters.

Scum gutters shall be provided on all sides of the pool and
shall be recessed into the wall; any projection shall not extend
out more than two inches. The gutters shall be of such
depth that the swimmer's hands will not touch the bottom.
There shall be a drainage outlet at least every ten feet. (Code
1959, § 31-11.)

Sec. 31-12. Steps and ladders.

Steps and ladders shall be provided at both sides of the
deep end of the swimming pool, and at the shallow end, if its
depth is more than two feet from the runway. (Code 1959,
§ 31-12.)

Sec. 31-13. Runways.

Runways at least four feet wide shall extend entirely around
the swimming pool and shall be of nonslipping material but
easily cleaned. They shall drain away from or towards the
pool. The edge of the pool at the junction of the runways
shall be rounded. (Code 1959, § 31-13.)

Sec. 31-14. Location of inlet and outlet pipes.

The location of inlet and outlet pipes shall be such as to
provide the maximum efficiency of complete circulation and
displacement which is practicable. (Code 1959, § 31-14.)

Sec. 31-15. Size of pool.

The size of the pool shall be proportioned to the expected
bathing load, according to the recommendations of the American
Public Health Association. (Code 1959, § 31-15.)

Sec. 31-16. Toilet facilities.

At least one sanitary, water-flushed toilet shall be provided
for each forty women and at least one toilet and one urinal
for each sixty men. (Code 1959, § 31-16.)

Sec. 31-17. Showers.

Adequate showers, the locations of which shall be approved
by the health officer, with hot and cold water, shall be provided.
There shall be at least one for each forty bathers at
the time of maximum load. (Code 1959, § 31-17.)

Sec. 31-18. Artificial lighting facilities.

Adequate artificial lighting shall be provided in all parts of
the swimming pool and in dressing rooms. Artificial lights

shall be used at any time that natural light is not sufficient to
see clearly in all parts of the rooms. (Code 1959, § 31-18.)

Sec. 31-19. Ventilation.

Adequate ventilation shall be provided in such a way that
drafts will not blow on the bathers. (Code 1959, § 31-19.)

Sec. 31-20. Required temperature for pool room, dressing
rooms, etc.

The pool room, dressing rooms, showers and the toilets shall
be heated to at least seventy to seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit.
(Code 1959, § 31-20.)

Sec. 31-21. Dressing room floors.

Dressing room floors shall be of smooth, impervious material,
with no cracks, and shall be properly drained. (Code
1959, § 31-21.)

Sec. 31-22. Construction and height of diving boards and platforms.

Diving boards and platforms shall be rigidly constructed
and anchored and their height shall conform to the following
schdeule:

           

Elevation	Minimum depth of water
1 foot	5 feet
3 feet	6 feet
5 feet	7 feet
7 feet	8 feet
10 feet	9 feet

(Code 1959, § 31-22.)

Sec. 31-23. Water—Approval of source and method of purification.

Water used in a swimming pool shall be from a source approved
by the health officer. The method of purification of
the water before entering the pool or of water used for recirculation
shall be approved by the health officer. (Code
1959, § 31-23.)

Sec. 31-24. Same—Chlorinating.

All water on entering the pool shall be chlorinated. The
available chlorine in the water in the pool shall at all times
be between 0.1 p.p.m. to 0.5 p.p.m. (Code 1959, § 31-24.)

Sec. 31-25. Same—Clearness.

The water shall at all times be sufficiently clear to permit
a black disk six inches in diameter on a white field, when
placed on the bottom of the pool at the deepest point, to be
clearly visible from the side walls of the pool at all distances
up to ten yards. (Code 1959, § 31-25.)

Sec. 31-26. Same—Required temperature.

The water shall not be artificially heated to above 72° Fahrenheit.
The air shall not be more than 8° Fahrenheit warmer
or 2° Fahrenheit colder than the water in the pool. (Code
1959, § 31-26.)

Sec. 31-27. Same—Purity.

As shown by bacterial counts of the water taken at any
time, the purity of the water shall be equal to accepted standards
for drinking water. (Code 1959, § 31-27.)

Sec. 31-28. Same—Frequency of changing.

The total number of bathers using a swimming pool during
any period of time shall not exceed twenty persons for each
one thousand gallons of clean water added to the pool during
that period. The term "clean water," as used above, may be
interpreted to mean new clean water used to refill the pool,
new clean water used to replace loss by splashing or during
cleansing, water taken from the pool and returned after effective
filtration or any combination of such waters. (Code 1959,
§ 31-28.)

Sec. 31-29. Same—Frequency of disinfection.

At any pool where the addition of disinfectant is not continuous
during the bathing period, the total number of persons
permitted to use the pool between any two consecutive

disinfections shall not exceed seven persons for each one thousand
gallons of water in the pool and each disinfection shall
be sufficient to insure that the bacterial quality of the water
shall conform to the limits stated in section 31-27. (Code
1959, § 31-29.)

Sec. 31-30. Same—Tests for excess chlorine.

At any pool where chlorine or hypochlorite of lime or other
chlorine compound is used for disinfection, the operator must
be supplied with a proper outfit for making the orthotolidine
test for excess chlorine and with permanent standards showing
maximum and minimum permissible chlorine in the water.
Tests for excess chlorine in the water must be made by the
operator every day that the pool is in use. (Code 1959, § 3130.)

Sec. 31-31. Same—Tests for acidity and alkalinity.

At any pool where alum or sulphate of alumina is used or
where artificial alkalinity is added to the water, the pool operator
must be supplied with a proper outfit for testing for
acidity and alkalinity and must make such tests on the water
every day that the pool is in use. (Code 1959, § 31-31.)

Sec. 31-32. Bathers to take cleansing baths.

All persons using a swimming pool must be required to
take a cleansing shower bath in the nude, using warm water
and soap, and thoroughly rinsing off all soapsuds before entering
the pool room or enclosure. A bath after donning a suit
shall not be permitted.

A bather leaving the pool room or enclosure for any reason
shall take a foot bath before returning. A bather leaving the
pool to use a toilet shall be required to take a second bath
before returning. (Code 1959, § 31-32.)

Sec. 31-33. Suits and towels.

All suits and towels must be washed with soap and boiling
water and rinsed and dried each time they are used. Unless
public suits and towels are sent to a public laundry, the management
of all swimming pools shall be required to install

modern laundry facilities for laundering suits and towels.
(Code 1959, § 31-33.)

Sec. 31-34. Spitting, blowing nose, etc., in pool.

Spitting, spouting of water, blowing the nose, etc., in the
pool shall be strictly prohibited. Bathers shall be instructed
that the scum gutter is provided for expectoration. (Code
1959, § 31-34.)

Sec. 31-35. Excluding persons with communicable diseases.

Any person having a skin disease, sore or inflamed eyes,
a cold, nasal or ear discharges or any communicable disease
shall be excluded from a public swimming pool. (Code 1959, §
31-35.)

Sec. 31-36. Instructing and warning bathers.

All bathers shall be instructed to use the toilet and particularly
to empty the bladder before taking a cleansing bath
and entering the pool.

Persons having any considerable area of exposed subepidermal
tissue, open blisters, cuts, etc., must be warned that
these are likely to become infected and advised not to use the
pool.

All bathers shall be instructed that blowing the nose to remove
water is likely to force infectious matter into the sinus
and inner ear cavities and possibly cause serious consequences.
(Code 1959, § 31-36.)

Sec. 31-37. Rough play, etc., prohibited.

No boisterous or rough play, except supervised water
sports, shall be permitted in the pool, on the runways, diving
boards, floats or platforms or in the dressing rooms, shower
rooms, etc. (Code 1959, § 31-37.)

Sec. 31-38. Operating record required; matters to be recorded.

Every swimming pool operator must be supplied with a
proper notebook or with blank forms on which shall be recorded,
every day, the number of persons using the pool, the

volume of new water added, the temperature of the water and the
temperature of the air. Whenever a pool is used by both males
and females, the number of each, whether adults or children,
shall also be recorded. At all pools where artificial circulation,
filtration or any chemical treatment is used, a full daily record
must also be kept of the actual time pumps and filters are in
operation, of the time each filter is washed or cleaned, of the time
and amount of each chemical used or added, of the time the
bottom and sides of pool are cleaned and the results of all acidity,
alkalinity and excess chlorine tests. (Code 1959, § 31-38.)

Sec. 31-39. Placards to be posted.

Suitable placards embodying the provisions of this chapter as
to personal regulations and instructions to bathers and those
relating to suits and towels must be conspicuously posted in the
pool room or enclosure and in the dressing rooms and offices at all
swimming pools. (Code 1959, § 31-39.)