Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 511 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Chapter 511-3 - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS
Subject 511-3-5 - PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS, SPAS, AND RECREATIONAL WATER PARKS
Rule 511-3-5-.01 - Definitions

(1) "Abandoned Pool" means a public pool that has not been permitted or not in operation for at least four calendar years.

(2) "Abrasion Hazard" means a sharp or rough surface that would scrape the skin by chance during normal use.

(3) "Accessible" means easily exposed for inspection and for the replacement of materials or parts with the use of tools.

(4) "Active Area" means those water areas in pools which are three feet or less in water depth.

(5) "Air Induction System" means a system whereby a volume of air (only) is induced into a hollow duct in a spa floor, bench or other location. The air induction system is activated by a separate air power blower.

(6) "Air Pump Assist Backwash" means the compression of air in the filter effluent chamber (by means of an air compressor or by the water pressure from the recirculating pump) which, when released, rapidly decompresses and forces water in the filter chamber through the elements in reverse, dislodging the filter aid and accumulated dirt, carrying it to waste.

(7) "Alkalinity" means the amount of bicarbonate, carbonate or hydroxide compounds present in water solution. See also "Total Alkalinity."

(8) "Aquatic Facility" means a physical place that contains one or more public swimming pools and support infrastructure.

(9) "Aquatic Feature" means an individual component within a public pool. Examples include slides, structures designed to be climbed or walked across by bathers, and structures that create falling or shooting water.

(10) "Automated Controller" means a system of at least one chemical probe, a controller, and auxiliary or integrated component that senses the level of one or more water parameters and provides a signal to other equipment to maintain the parameters within a user-established range.

(11) "Backwash" means the process of thoroughly cleansing the filter medium, elements, and the contents of the filter vessel by the reverse flow of water through the filter.

(12) "Barrier" means a fence, safety cover, wall, building wall or a combination thereof, which completely surrounds or covers the swimming pool or spa and obstructs access to the swimming pool, spa or recreational water park.

(13) "Bather" means any person who uses a swimming pool, spa, or recreational water park, or adjoining deck areas for the purpose of water sports, recreation, therapy, or related activities.

(14) "Booster or Jet Pump System" means a system whereby one or more hydrotherapy jets are activated by the use of a pump which is completely independent of the filtration and heating system of a spa. It may also mean a device used to provide hydraulic support for certain types of equipment such as cleaning systems, gas chlorinators and solar systems.

(15) "Breakpoint Chlorination" means the conversion of inorganic chloramine compounds to nitrogen gas by reaction with free available chlorine. The point at which the drop occurs is referred to as the "breakpoint". The amount of free chlorine that must be added to the water to achieve breakpoint chlorination is approximately ten times the amount of combined chlorine in the water.

(16) "Brominator" means a device to apply or to deliver a bromine disinfectant to water at a controlled rate.

(17) "Cartridge" means a pleated or surface-type filter component with fixed dimensions that is designed to remove suspended particles from water flowing through the filter.

(18) "Chemical Feeder" means a mechanical device for applying chemicals to pool or spa water.

(19) "Chloramine" means a compound formed when chlorine combines with nitrogen or ammonia that causes eye and skin irritation and has a strong, objectionable odor.

(20) "Chlorinator" means a device to apply or to deliver a chlorine disinfectant to water at a controlled rate.

(21) "Chlorine Generator" means equipment that generates chlorine, hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite on site for disinfection and oxidation of water contaminants.

(22) "Circulation Equipment" means the mechanical components that are part of a circulation system in a pool or spa. Circulation equipment includes, but is not limited to, pumps, hair and lint strainers, filters, valves, gauges, meters, heaters, surface skimmers, inlet/outlet fittings, and chemical feeding devices. These components may have separate functions, but when connected to each other by piping, perform as a coordinated system for purposes of maintaining pool and spa water in a clear, sanitary and desirable condition.

(23) "Circulation System" means an arrangement of mechanical equipment or components, connected by piping to a pool or spa in a closed circuit. The function of a circulation system is to direct water from the pool or spa, causing it to flow through the various system components for purposes of clarifying, heating, purifying and returning the water back to the original body of water.

(24) "Clarifier" means a chemical that coagulates and neutralizes suspended particles in water, such as inorganic salts of aluminum or iron and water-soluble organic polyelectrolyte polymers. Also called coagulant or flocculent.

(25) "Contact Concentration" means the concentration of a chemical in a flow of water. This concentration depends on the rate of addition, the flow rate of the water and the efficiency of the mixing. It is calculated using the equation (assumes complete mixing): Amount of Chemical (gpm)/Water Flow Rate (gpm) x 4.41 = Contact Concentration (mg/L).

(26) "Combined chlorine" means the reaction of free chlorine with ammonia and nitrogen compounds to form chloramines.

(27) "Contamination Response Plan" means a plan for handling contamination from formed-stool, diarrheal-stool, and vomit.

(28) "Coping" means the cap on the pool or spa wall that provides a finishing edge around the pool or spa, whether formed, cast in place, pre-cast concrete, or pre-fabricated from metal or plastic materials.

(29) "Country Club" means a location with facilities for outdoor sports and social activities for which members pay a membership fee other than a daily fee, periodically for the use of facilities and services by them and their guests. Fraternal organizations may be included in this definition.

(30) "Cove" means the radius between the pool or spa wall and the pool or spa floor.

(31) "CT Value" means a representation of the concentration of the disinfectant (C) multiplied by time in minutes (T) needed for inactivation of a particular contaminant. The concentration and time are inversely proportional; therefore, the higher the concentration of the disinfectant, the shorter the contact time required for inactivation. The CT value can vary with pH or temperature change so these values must also be supplied to allow comparison between values.

(32) "Cyanuric Acid" means a chemical that helps reduce the excess loss of chlorine in water due to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It is also called stabilizer, isocyanuric acid, conditioner or triazinetrione.

(33) "Decks" means those areas immediately adjacent to or attached to a pool or spa that are intended for bathers to sit, stand, or walk upon. It connects the pool to adjacent amenities, entrances, and exits. This area is expected to be regularly trafficked and made wet by bathers.

(34) "Deep Areas" means water depths in excess of five feet.

(35) "Department" means the Georgia Department of Public Health.

(36) "Diatomite" means the filtering medium of a diatomaceous earth filter composed of microscopic fossil skeletons of the "diatom," a tiny freshwater marine plankton.

(37) "Disinfectant" means an agent used to kill undesirable or pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms that have a measurable residual at a level adequate to make the desired kill.

(38) "Diving Board" means a recreational mechanism for entering a swimming pool, consisting of a semi rigid board that derives its elasticity through the use of a fulcrum mounted below the board. This term includes, without limitation, a "jump board" with a coil spring, leaf spring or comparable device located beneath the board which is activated by the force exerted in jumping on the board, and a "stationary diving platform" used for diving and constructed or located on site, including natural or artificial rocks, pedestals or other items.

(39) "DPD (Diethyl-p-phenylene Diamine)" means a reagent and test method that specifically measure bromine or free available and total chlorine, producing a series of colors from pale pink to dark red.

(40) "Effective Filter Area" means total surface area through which the designed flow rate will be maintained during filtration.

(41) "Effluent" means the water that flows out of a filter, pump or other device.

(42) "EPA Registered" means all products regulated and registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA registered products will have a registration number on the label which can be verified by using the EPA National Pesticide Information Retrieval System.

(43) "Equipment Room" means a space intended for the operation of pool pumps, filters, heaters and controllers.

(44) "Feet of Head" means a basis for indicating the resistance in a hydraulic system, equivalent to the height of a column of water that would cause the same resistance (100 feet of head equals 43 pounds per square inch).

(45) "Filter" means a device that removes undissolved particles from water by recirculating the water through a porous substance (a filter medium or element).

(46) "Filter Element" means a device within a filter tank designed to entrap solids and conduct water to a manifold, collection header, pipe, or similar conduit and return it to the pool or spa. A filter element usually consists of a septum and septum support or a cartridge.

(47) "Free Available Chlorine (FAC)" means the portion of the total available chlorine that is not "combined chlorine" and is present as hypochlorous acid (HOCl) or hypochlorite ion (OCl-) and will react chemically with undesirable or pathogenic organisms.

(48) "Flume" means the riding channels of a waterslide which accommodate riders using or not using mats, tubes, rafts, and other transport vehicles as they slide along a path lubricated by a water flow.

(49) "Handhold/Handrail" means a device that can be gripped by a user for the purpose of resting or steadying him/herself. It is not limited to but may be located inside or outside the pool or spa or as part of a set of steps or deck-installed equipment.

(50) "Hardness" means the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in water; measured by a test kit and expressed as parts per million (ppm) of equivalent calcium carbonate.

(51) "Health Authority" means both the Georgia Department of Public Health and the County Board of Health - Environmental Health Office.

(52) "Hydrotherapy Spa or Spa" means a unit that may have a therapeutic use but which is not drained, cleaned, or refilled for each individual. It may include, but not be limited to, hydrotherapy jet circulation, hot water/cold water mineral baths, air induction bubbles or any combination thereof. Industry terminology for a spa includes, but is not limited to,"therapeutic pool," "hydrotherapy pool," "whirlpool," and "hot spa."

(53) "Imminent Health Hazard" means a product, practice, circumstance, event or condition that requires immediate correction or cessation of operation in order to prevent a significant threat of danger or death, injury or illness.

(54) "Increased Risk Public Pool" means a public pool which, due to its intrinsic characteristics and intended users, has a greater likelihood of microbial contamination. An increased-risk public pool includes spray pads, wading pools, and others designed for children less than five years old.

(55) "Influent" means the water entering a filter or other device.

(56) "In ground Swimming Pool" means any pool where the sides rest in partial or full contact with the earth.

(57) "Lifeguard" means an individual who has successfully completed a recognized lifeguard training course, holds a current certificate for such training, has met the pre-service requirements, and is participating in continuing in-service training requirements of the facility.

(58) "Modification" means changes or repairs to equipment, interior finishes, or fixtures on a public swimming pool that will not disturb or remove any portion of the plumbing, decking, or watertight shell structure.

(59) "Monitoring" means the regular and purposeful observation and checking of systems or facilities and recording of data, including system alerts, excursions from acceptable ranges, and other facility issues. Monitoring includes human or electronic means.

(60) "Multi-port Filter-Control Valve" means a multiport valve having a number of control positions for various filter operations that combines in one unit the function of two or more single valves.

(61) "Non-swimming Area" means any portion of a pool where water depth, offset ledges, or similar irregularities prevents normal swimming activities.

(62) "Organic Matter" means perspiration, urine, saliva, suntan oil, cosmetics, lotions, dead skin, and similar debris introduced to water by users and the environment.

(63) "Orthotolidine (OTO)" means a colorless reagent that reacts with chlorine or bromine to produce a series of yellow-to-orange colors which indicate the amount of chlorine or bromine in water.

(64) "Oxidation Reduction Potential" means a measure of the tendency for a solution to either gain or lose electrons; higher (more positive) oxidation reduction potential indicates a more oxidative solution.

(65) "Overflow System" means a system for the removal of pool/spa surface water through the use of overflows, surface skimmers and surface water collection systems of various design and manufacture.

(66) "Patron" means a bather or other person or occupant at a public pool who may or may not have contact with water either through partial or total immersion. Patrons may not have contact with the water, but who might still be exposed to potential contamination from the facility's air, surfaces, or aerosols.

(67) "Peninsula / Wing Wall" means a structural projection into a pool intended to provide partial separation within the body of water.

(68) "pH" means the negative log of the concentration of hydrogen ions. As pH is raised, more ionization occurs and chlorine disinfectants decrease in effectiveness.

(69) "Pool" means any artificial water holding structure with a closed-loop circulation of water through a water treatment system with a return to the structure.

(70) "Private Pool" means any constructed pool, permanent or non-portable, that serves a single-family dwelling and is used only by the residents of that dwelling and their guests.

(71) "Public Swimming Pool" means any structure, chamber, or tank containing an artificial body of water shared and used by the public for swimming, diving, wading, recreation or therapy, together with buildings, appurtenances and equipment used in connection with the body of water, regardless of whether a fee is charged for its use. The term includes municipal, school, hotel, or motel pools, and any pool to which access is granted in exchange for payment of a daily fee. The term shall also include pools and spas operated by or serving camps, churches, day care centers, group home facilities of twelve or more clients, institutions, parks, state agencies, condominiums, mobile home parks, recreational vehicle parks, associations, health clubs, special purpose pools, and recreational water parks. Public swimming pools are divided into the following classifications:

(72) "Special Purpose Pools" means any pool operated for recreational play and other special purposes, including, but not limited to, wave or surf action pools, activity pools, interactive water activity pools, wading pools, and activity pools. These include, but are not limited to the following types:

(73) Zero Depth Entry Pools. A pool in any classification that has a sloping edge or beach at one end in place of a wall.

(74) "Permanently Installed Swimming Pool" means a pool that is constructed in the ground or in a building in such a manner that it cannot be readily disassembled for storage.

(75) "Therapeutic Pool" means a pool used in physical programs operated by medical facilities licensed by the Department of Community Health or operated by a licensed physical therapist.

(76) "Pool Slide" means a slide having a configuration as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Ch. II, Title 16 Part 1207 of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, or which is similar in construction to a playground slide designed to allow users to slide from an elevated height to a pool. The term includes children's (tot) slides and all other non-flume slides that are mounted on the pool deck or within the basin of a public swimming pool.

(77) "Potable Water" means any water, such as an approved domestic water supply, which is microbiologically safe and otherwise suitable for drinking.

(78) "PPM" means an abbreviation for parts per million, the unit of measurement used in chemical testing which indicates the parts by weight in relation to one million parts by weight of water, such as the term milligrams per liter (mg/L).

(79) "Precipitate" means a solid material which is forced out of a solution by some chemical reaction and which may settle out or remain as a haze in suspension (turbidity).

(80) "PSI" means an abbreviation for pounds per square inch.

(81) "Rate of Flow" means the quantity of water flowing past a designated point within a specified time, such as the number of gallons flowing in one minute (gpm).

(82) "Rated Pressure" means that pressure that is equal to or less than the designed pressure and appears on the data plate of the equipment.

(83) "Recreational Water Park" means a facility or area which incorporates one or more special purpose pools, together with associated buildings, appurtenances, and equipment designated for public bathing or swimming.

(84) "Removable" means something that can be disassembled with the use of simple tools such as a screwdriver, pliers or wrench.

(85) "Remodeling" means the activity of restoring all or part of the physical structure of a pool or spa into good condition. This includes the rebuilding or replacing of worn and broken parts or components that require disturbing segments of the piping system, decking, or watertight shell structure.

(86) "Responsible Person" means an individual that is responsible for daily water monitoring operations when a "trained operator" is not on-site or making visits to the public swimming pool daily.

(87) "Return Inlet" means the opening or fitting through which the water under positive pressure returns into a pool or spa.

(88) "Return Piping" means that piping through which water is returned to the pool.

(89) "Ring Buoy" means a ring-shaped floating buoy capable of supporting a bather in the water.

(90) "Rinse Shower" means a shower typically located on the deck area and supplied with ambient temperature water. The main purpose is to remove dirt, sand, or organic material prior to entering the water to reduce the introduction of contaminants and the formation of disinfection by-products.

(91) "Shallow Area" means portions of a pool or spa with water depths five feet or less.

(92) "Safety Plan" means a written document that has procedures, requirements, or standards related to safety which the pool staff shall follow. The safety plan shall include training and emergency response procedures.

(93) "Sanitize" means reducing the level of microbes to that level considered safe by public health standards. This may be achieved through a variety of chemical or physical means including chemical treatment, physical cleaning, or drying.

(94) "Saturation Index" means a mathematical representation or scale representing the ability of water to deposit calcium carbonate, or dissolve metal, concrete or grout.

(95) "Shock Treatment" means the practice of adding significant amounts of an oxidizing chemical to water to destroy ammonia and nitrogenous and organic contaminants in water.

(96) "Skimmer Weir" means the part of a skimmer which adjusts automatically to small changes in water level to assure a continuous flow of water to the skimmer.

(97) "Slip Resistant" means a surface that has been treated or constructed so as to significantly reduce the chance of a patron slipping. The surface shall not be an abrasion hazard. All surfaces required to be slip-resistant shall have a minimum dynamic coefficient of friction at least equal to the requirements of ANSI A137.1-2012 or successor standard for that installation as measured by the DCOF AcuTest.

(98) "Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCI)" means a clear liquid form of an inorganic chlorine compound obtainable in concentrations of 5% to 16% available chlorine.

(99) "Special Use Pool" means a pool that does not meet the operational and design characteristics of any public swimming pool class or type identified elsewhere in this chapter. A special use pool may be considered through an application for a variance.

(100) "Suction Outlet" means the opening or fitting through which the water under negative pressure is drawn from the pool or spa.

(101) "Suction Piping" means that piping through which water is removed from the pool.

(102) "Surface Skimming System" means perimeter-type overflows, surface skimmers and surface water collection systems of various design and manufacture which permit the continuous removal of floating debris and surface water to the filter.

(103) "Supplemental Disinfection Systems" means those disinfection processes or systems installed in addition to the primary system required on all increased risk public pools.

(104) "Test Kit" means a device used to monitor specific chemical or agent residual or demands in pool or spa water.

(105) "Theoretical Peak Occupancy Load" means the anticipated peak number of bathers in the water and on the deck. This occupancy is also used for design purposes and to determine services that support bathers. For public swimming pools, the theoretical peak occupancy load is calculated by using the water density factor and deck area:

(106) "Time Clock" means a mechanical device that automatically controls the periods that a pump, filter, chlorinator, heater, blower and other electrical devices are running.

(107) "Total Alkalinity" means the ability or capacity of water to resist change in pH; also known as the buffering capacity of water. Measured with a test kit and expressed as ppm.

(108) "Total Available Chlorine (TAC)" means the sum of both the free available and combined chlorines.

(109) "Trained Operator" means an individual responsible for the operation and maintenance of the public pool water and the associated infrastructure of the facility who has successfully completed a Department approved operator training course.

(110) "Turbidity" means the cloudy condition of water due to the presence of extremely fine particulate materials in suspension that interfere with the passage of light.

(111) "Turnover Rate" means the period of time (usually in hours) required to circulate a volume of water equal to the pool or spa capacity.

(112) "Underwater Seat Bench" means a submerged seat without hydrotherapy jets.

(113) "Vacuum" means the reduction of atmospheric pressure within a pipe, tank, pump or other vessel. Vacuum is measured in inches of mercury. One inch (1") of mercury is equivalent to one and thirteen hundredths feet (1.13') of head. The practical maximum vacuum is thirty inches (30") of mercury or thirty three and nine tenths feet (33.9') of head.

(114) "Waterline". The waterline shall be defined in one of the following ways:

(115) Water slide. A slide that runs into a landing pool or runout through a fabricated channel with flowing water. A water slide may be classified by their physical and intended use characteristics. The following are types of waterslides:

(116) "Water Quality Testing Device" means a product designed to measure the level of a parameter in water. A WQTD includes a device or method to provide a visual indication of a parameter level, and may include one or more reagents and accessory items.