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Public health updates statewide pool, splash‑pad and beach standards and fees; adds inspections and design requirements
Summary
The Department for Public Health proposed multiple regulations that establish uniform design and safety standards for public pools, splash pads and beaches, add new inspection and plan‑review fees, and prohibit use of municipal sewage overflow reservoirs as public beaches; staff amendments were approved without objection.
The Review Subcommittee reviewed a package of Department for Public Health regulations (902 KAR 101:120, 101:123, 101:125 and 101:127) that together set uniform design, construction, operational and safety standards for public swimming and bathing facilities, including pools, splash pads, spas and public beaches.
Julie Brooks, regulations coordinator for the Department for Public Health, and branch managers Jennifer Bart and Erica Brakefield described the package. Changes include updated definitions, plan submission and review requirements, revised forms and inspection reports, fees for annual inspections assessed by square footage of water surface (and linear footage for beaches), a fee for interactive water features, new requirements for equipment rooms and telephone locations, and operational water‑quality standards. The amended after‑comments versions clarify when an engineer’s or architect’s seal is required on plan submissions and allow certain equipment to meet NSF or ANSI standards.
The department’s amended rules also explicitly prohibit using municipal sewage systems and sewage overflow reservoirs as public swimming or bathing beaches, a change several committee members welcomed. The department said beach fees and inspection fees previously located in a separate fee regulation were consolidated into the subject regulations.
Committee members asked about how fees are applied when a single facility has multiple features (for example, a hotel pool plus a hot tub). The department explained inspectors will assess applicable fees for each feature; for example, the pool fee and the hot‑tub fee would both apply.
Staff amendments were approved by motion and voice without objection. The regulations will move forward to the committee of jurisdiction.
Why it matters: The package establishes statewide technical standards, inspection expectations and a fee structure intended to standardize safety and plan review for recreational water facilities.
Provenance: Topic begins when the public health package was called and department staff summarized the design, operational and fee provisions.
