35.2 Water Sampling - Aquatic Facilities
Legislation
Public Aquatic Facilities are regulated under the Health (Aquatic Facilities) Regulations 2007 which adopts the Code of Practice for the Design, Construction, Operation, Management and Maintenance of Aquatic Facilities.
- Health (Aquatic Facilities) Regulations 2007
- The Code of Practice for the Design, Construction, Operation, Management and Maintenance of Aquatic Facilities (The Code of Practice)
Resources
- Department of Health – Aquatic Facilities
- Department of Health Resources, Guidance Notes and Checklists
- Response to a Faecal Incident in a Public Swimming Pool
- Water Sampling Technique
Example Forms
- PathWest Water Sampling Form
- Application Form to Construct, Alter or Extend an Aquatic Facility
- Improvement Order Template
- Closure Order Template
- Audit Form Template – Group 1
- Audit Form Template – Group 2
- Audit Form Template – Group 3
- Audit Form Template – Group 4
Role of Local Government
- Construction of New Aquatic Facilities
Local governments are encouraged to confirm that any new aquatic facility constructions have been issued with approval from the Chief Health Officer (CHO).
This will ensure that developers or builders are identified and dealt with appropriately if they commence construction without CHO approval.
- Monthly Water Sampling
Local governments are required to collect monthly water samples from every public aquatic facility water body within their district:
this includes a bacterial and amoeba sample as well as testing the pH, disinfectant (Cl or Br) and temperature.
- Non-compliant Microbial Water Quality Parameters
The required control strategies for adverse microbial results are incorporated into Table 8 from the Code of Practice.
- Exemption from Water Sampling
Where the CHO has granted an exemption, particular operators may be delegated this responsibility and trained by local government to collect their own microbiological water samples for their facility.
In these cases, local governments will still provide operators with appropriate advice regarding the results of these samples.
- Enforcing legislative requirements
Local governments must also enforce the legislative requirements of public defined aquatic facilities within their municipality.
Complaints regarding public aquatic facilities should be referred to the environmental health section of the respective local government authority.
- Off Season Periods
Before a swimming pool opens for the season start up samples should be collected and satisfactory results received prior to operation. This is a good time to undertake an assessment that the overall requirements for the swimming pool are being met. The below audit forms are a useful tool to do this.