Swimming Pools - Environmental Health - Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health

Environmental Health

Swimming Pools and Spas

Pool Season is Here! Find out how to avoid recreational water illnesses if you are swimmer or part of the pool staff. Learn about RWI (recreational water illnesses)

The department contracts with the Iowa Department of Public Health to conduct inspections in 14 counties in North Iowa. The inspections are conducted for public swimming pools and spas at hotels, municipal facilities, fitness centers, apartment complexes and other publicly used pools and spas. Inspections are conducted to protect the public from recreational water illnesses, swimming accidents and drowning.

During inspections inspectors check pool records and signage, personnel certifications, water chemistry and sanitation, pool design, maintenance and construction, safety procedures and equipment.

Swimming pool and spa operators are charged a fee for the inspection. The fee is based on the type and size of pool or spa.

If you are planning to open a new swimming pool or spa facility for public use, it is required that a construction permit application be submitted to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Also located at that link are swimming pool/spa regulations and requirements.

Do you own a pool or spa? Help prevent tragedies like these:

A one-year old boy drowns in a backyard pool in Mesa, AZ on Saturday, 7/4. Investigators said the father told them he lost track of his son for a few minutes.
A five-year old girl drowns in at a backyard pool party in Illinois on Saturday, 7/4. She had been wearing a flotation device earlier in the day, but was not when she was pulled from the water.
In Pennsylvania , a woman is recovering after mixing pool chemicals in her backyard and unintentionally creating chlorine vapors.

Learn more about pool and spa safety:

National Swimming Pool Foundation: http://www.nspf.org/
International Code Council: http://www.iccsafe.org/safety/BSW/2009/Pool-Spa.pdf