Pool Safety

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) works to ensure healthy swimming is made possible for all the people of the Commonwealth.

VDH’s Environmental Health Services in Southside cover Halifax, Mechlenburg and Brunswick and is responsible for permitting and inspecting tourist establishment swimming pools such as hotels, water parks as well as some public pools based on locality.

VDH plays a very active role in ensuring pools are safe. This includes:

• Ensuring the safe design and construction
• Conducting pre-opening inspection and at least one during the peak season
• Each inspection checks various areas to ensure that swimmers’ health is top priority
  • Depending on the type of establishment and conditions, the inspection frequency may increase

Inspections

VDH inspections are a small snapshot of the pool safety that establishments must maintain for the entire open season of a public pool.

It’s up to the operator’s responsibility to ensure that daily precautions are taken while VDH ensures compliance through routine inspections. The most important things VDH looks for during inspections include:

• Usage of only approved water sources- ones deemed safe & free of sewage or wastewater
• Cleanliness of the pool shell and the surrounding surfaces
• Sufficient number of ladders and an adequate gated area around the pool
• Good lighting both inside and around the pool
• Proper depth marking on the pools edge
• Adequate circulation of pool water and clarity of water color
• Clean, operational filters
• Working filter room with sufficient and properly operating equipment to manage pool
• Testing of pH levels (7.2-7.8) and Chlorine residuals (< 3.0 ppm)
• Properly maintained logs and public posting of pool water quality results
• Lifeguard present during all hours of operation or “No Lifeguard” signage visible to guests
• Proper lifesaving equipment available
• General cleanliness and absence of safety hazards for all public swimmers

Permit and Inspection Applications