Current through Vol. 42, No. 1, September 16, 2024
(a)
Structural.
(1) All pools shall
be designed and constructed to withstand all anticipated structural loading,
under both filled and empty conditions. A hydrostatic relief valve is required
on all new below-grade pools.
(2)
Facilities for the Handicapped. All pools open to the general public
constructed after May 1, 1981 shall provide for the use of the entire facility
by the handicapped as follows:
(A) Raised or
cut out depth markings used in the pool and on the deck.
(B) A ramp or lift provided into the pool
proper.
(C) Bathhouse construction
such that all facilities are readily available to wheelchair and ambulatory
handicapped.
(b)
Pool shape. The shape of any
pool shall be such that the circulation of pool water and control of swimmers'
safety are not impaired. For all free form, non-diving pools containing any
swimming area where the pool perimeter is curved at a radius of less than six
(6) feet and the sidewall depth is five (5) feet or less, the design engineer
shall separately certify the design of the pool as to its safety.
(c)
Shallow depth. The pools
sixty (60) feet or more in length, such as school pools, municipal pools,
institutional pools, and other pools where competitive use is a consideration,
the minimum depth of three and one-half (3-1/2) feet at the shallow end.
(d)
Therapeutic
pools. In the case of special pools for water therapy where a design
depth less than three (3) feet or other special features are used, the engineer
must include in his report a description of the intended use.
(e)
Slope of bottom.
(1) The slope of the bottom of any portion of
the pool having a water depth of less than five (5) feet shall not be more than
one (1) foot in twelve (12) feet and said slope shall be uniform. An exception
to this requirement will be made permitting a breakpoint to occur at a minimum
water depth of four and one-half (4-1/2) feet for pools less than sixty (60)
feet in length or special indoor pools used for instructional or therapeutic
purposes.
(2) For pools without
uniform bottom slope, without diving facilities, and with maximum depths of
five (5) feet or more, the slope in the shallower section shall not exceed one
(1) in twelve (12) and there shall be a life line at the change in slope. The
slope of the transition section shall not exceed one (1) in three
(3).
(f)
Side
walls.
(1) Walls of a pool shall be
vertical for a water depth of at least five (5) feet below the water level,
below which the wall shall be curved to the bottom with a radius equal to the
difference between the depth and five (5) feet, except that for water depths
under four (4) feet, a radius of one (1) foot shall be permitted; for water
depths between four (4) and five (5) feet, a radius of two (2) feet may be
used.
(2) Walls of pools without
diving areas shall be vertical (constructed not more than eleven (11) degrees
from plumb) for a water depth of at least three (3) feet in all areas where the
side wall depth is five (5) feet or greater. The walls shall be vertical for a
depth of at least two and one-half (2-1/2) feet in areas with less than five
(5) feet side wall depth. The wall shall then be curved to the bottom with a
radius equal to or less than the difference between the minimum vertical wall
depth and the side wall depth. Side wall depth shall be defined as the distance
between the water surface and the point at which the side wall curvature
intersects the constant slope of the bottom.
(g)
Diving area requirements.
Wherever diving facilities are provided in connection with public bathing
places, the design shall be such as to provide adequate, clear head room and
diving depths to assure the safety of the bathers. It is recommended that pools
with diving facilities be designed in accordance with standards promulgated by
FINA, NCAA, or U.S. Diving, Inc. The following are minimum requirements.
(1) There shall be a completely unobstructed
clear vertical distance of sixteen (16) feet above any spring board measured
from a point at the center of the end of the board over the water, and the
clear area extends horizontally at least eight (8) feet behind, eight (8) feet
to each side, and sixteen (16) feet ahead of that point.
(2) A schedule of depths and their locations
is given in Appendix A and B. These depths are to be interpreted as minimum
requirements compatible with safety of design, and greater clearances are
recommended.
(3) The area of deep
water provided shall comply with the following requirements: For pools
utilizing deck level boards which will be not more than eighteen (18) inches
above the normal operating level of the pool, and other small pools used for
diving, the diving area shall have a minimum depth of eight (8) feet. The area
where this minimum depth shall prevail shall be described as follows: at a
point on the center line of the axis of the diving board eight (8) feet from
the deep end wall, a circle shall be circumscribed with a six (6) foot radius:
from a point eleven (11) feet from the deep end wall or three (3) feet in front
of the first center, also on the diving board center line axis, a second circle
shall be circumscribed with a five (5) foot radius extending from where the arc
of the second circle intersects the arc of the first circle on one side to the
point of intersection on the other side; all of that area within these two (2)
circles shall have a normal operating depth of not less than eight (8) feet;
all of this combined area shall be sloped to a point or points where main
drains are located and where the depth is not less than eight (8) feet six (6)
inches.
(4) In free form pool
design (such as kidney-shaped), a deck level diving board may be accommodated
in Appendix C design using a pool width of sixteen (16) feet at the tip of the
diving board. The deck shall not encroach on the pool water surface inside a
triangle whose base is sixteen (16) feet long and is centered at the tip of and
is perpendicular to the center line of the diving board and whose apex is three
(3) to four (4) feet back from the tip of the diving board. (This places the
apex at the wall below the diving board.)
(A)
Slides, swings, and recreational equipment. It is recommended that
where slides, swings, climbing walls, and similar recreational equipment are
installed at pools, a lifeguard be on duty at the pool when it is in
use.
(B)
Diving boards or
platforms.
(i) Because of the hazards
involved, diving boards or platforms exceeding three (3) meters in height must
not be available to the general public and will be approved only for
instructional or competitive pools, supervised by capable instructors or
coaches. Water depths below such platforms shall conform to NCAA, AAU, or FINA
Standards. Preliminary plans for the pool construction shall be submitted for
appraisal and concurrence prior to the submission of final construction plans.
Preliminary plans shall provide sufficient information on the operation of the
pool to allow determination as to whether or not the high diving platforms can
be used without hazard.
(ii) These
design requirements are for recreational swimming and diving. Where it is
anticipated that pools with diving boards will be used for competitive diving
events or training for such events, greater water depths will be required. In
such instances the water depths given in the listed standards shall be used in
order to avoid safety hazards for this type of
activity.
(h)
Safety ledges.
(1) Safety ledges are acceptable for
instructional pools where full-time lifeguards are on duty, provided the ledges
are located not less than four (4) feet nor more than five (5) feet below the
water surface. The corners shall be rounded.
(2) Ledges shall be painted or constructed
with a material of contrasting color to be easily visible. Ledge surfaces shall
have slip-resistant textures.
(3)
Off-sets or protrusions from the pool wall resulting from design or
construction variations shall fall within the area defined by an eleven (11)
degree line from plumb and a plumb line starting at the junction of the pool
wall and water surface.
(i)
Depth markings.
(1) The depth of water shall be plainly
marked at or above the water surface on the vertical wall of the swimming pool
and on the edge of the deck or walk next to the swimming pool, at maximum and
minimum points; at the points of break between the deep and shallow portions;
and at intermediate one (1) foot increments of depth in the shallow end up to
the breakpoint; and at two (2) foot increments of depth from the breakpoint to
the deep end wall, spaced at not more than twenty-five (25) feet intervals
measured peripherally; and at two (2) foot increments of depth (with at least
three (3) markers per pool) throughout the length of non-diving pools with
uniform bottom slope.
(2) Depth
markers shall be in numerals of four (4) inches minimum height and a color
contrasting with the background. Where depth markers cannot be placed on the
vertical walls above the water level, other means shall be used, and be plainly
visible to persons in the pool area.
(3) It is strongly recommended that a six (6)
inch black stripe be painted on the bottom of the pool at the breakpoint
between the swimming and non-swimming areas, and that lengthwise stripes be
painted on the pool bottom for better delineation of the bottom
contour.
(j)
Coping. Bullnosed or rounded coping is recommended. Other coping
will be approved on a case-by-case basis. None shall extend more than three (3)
inches inside the pool wall nor have sharp corners, and the top surface shall
not be more than nine (9) inches above the normal water level.
(k)
Isolation panels. Where
movable panels are used to separate pools, such as in a water channel
connecting an indoor and outdoor pool, the design shall include a system of
counterweights or springs, or other device, to prevent "guillotine" action.
Also, a minimum of one (1) additional inlet shall be positioned on each side of
the panel to assure disinfectant distribution in the connecting water
channel.
