A pool at holiday accommodation: the rules you need to know

Private or shared-use pool

A house pool used only by the family is private. But when guests swim, as at a hotel, guesthouse or holiday apartment complex, the pool may be considered shared-use and fall under specific health regulations, with obligations for how it is run.

Whether, and to what extent, these apply to your property depends on its type, the number of users and how the pool is used. There is no single answer for everyone, so your case is assessed by an engineer in consultation with the competent authority, ideally before the pool is designed.

A practical tip: design the pool from the outset as if the strictest requirements applied. It is much easier to build showers, signage, non-slip surfaces and adequate equipment into the design than to add them later to a pool that is already in use.

What is usually checked

The table gives a general outline of the topics usually looked at. The exact parameters, frequencies and paperwork are set by the regulations in force and confirmed by the competent authority.

Water testing and records

The foundation is daily readings by staff, using the right method and recorded. How to take a sample and which testing tools are available is explained under how to test your pool water. As a practical target for the chemistry, aim for pH 7.2–7.6 and free chlorine 1–3 mg/l, unless the regulations set something different for your category.

At a property with many bathers, the chemistry changes quickly during the day. Many owners choose automatic pH and chlorine control, though it does not replace manual readings and recording them.

Depth markings and pool rules

Depth markings go on the edge, so they are seen before anyone enters the water. In a prefab pool with 1.10 m or 1.50 m panels the depth is constant and easy to mark. Pool rules are posted next to the pool, in more than one language, with rules such as:

• shower before entering the water,
• no diving head first,
• children only under adult supervision,
• pool opening hours,
• no glassware or food on the edge.

For the shower and where to put it, see pool showers.

How to prepare

1. Discuss how the pool will be used with an engineer before the design stage.
2. Build whatever comes out of that into the design, such as adequate filtration, showers, signage and non-slip surfaces.
3. Keep a file with the details of the construction, the equipment and the lab tests.
4. Train staff in taking and recording readings.
5. Check all of the above before every season.

The construction options for holiday accommodation are covered under hotel pools and pools for short-term rentals.

Questions

See also