New regulations governing the use of public swimming pools are about to come into force. It’s called the Real Decreto por el que se establecen los criterios técnico-sanitarios de las piscinas (no number yet, it hasn’t been published).
Can you believe swimming pool were previously regulated from a law dating from 1961?
Anyhoo… the new law is rather sharp on many public health issues. Main points for owners of public pools (ie communities!) to be aware of:
- More types of regular water tests are required
- The results of such tests are to be published in a public place
- All “incidents” are to be noted by management and appropriate action taken (basically, an incident is anything from a kid weeing in the pool to someone drowning)
- Lots more documentation
- Only people with a certificate or lots of experience now allowed to look after swimming pools
- Interior pools have a whole raft of new regulations
Sigh….
For example, if a user of a pool should.. ah hem… soil the pool, then said pool must be emptied of users, closed and the water regenerated and tested. Damn good way of spoiling an afternoon, that one. Kids making too much noise in the pool? Pee in it, and it’s closed by law for the afternoon.
The law has been sent to Congress for voting on and will be law two months after being published in the BOE.
Didn’t the Americans empty an entire lake somewhere in Oregon last year because someone peed in it?