ADVANCEMENT OF THE PRACTICE
Open Access
DIRECT FROM CDC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Key Changes in the New Edition of the Model Aquatic Health Code
Jasen Kunz, MPH, REHS/RS
CDR Joseph P. Laco, MSEH, REHS/RS, CPO
jurisdictions save time and resources when they develop and update pool codes. The fifth edition of the MAHC is now available. Key Changes in Chapter 4 In Chapter 4, Aquatic Facility Design Stan- dards and Construction: • Portable slides are prohibited as their loca- tion is not fixed and the water depth, land- ing area, and clear spaces are not ensured (MAHC 4.12.2.9.1). • A clock must now be visible to all spa bath- ers (MAHC 4.12.1.12). • Single-pass splash pads are included as an interactive water play aquatic venue and subject to applicable MAHC design stan- dards and construction (MAHC 4.12.8) and facility operation and maintenance requirements (MAHC 5.12.8). Key Changes in Chapter 5 In Chapter 5, Aquatic Facility Operation and Maintenance: •Maximum free chlorine concentration shall not exceed limits specified on the product label (MAHC 5.7.3.1.1.5). The change was necessary to adjust language in the MAHC that implied it is acceptable to use chlorine products outside of the range set by the manufacturer. • Free chlorine greater than 10 ppm while bathers are present was included as an imminent health hazard requiring immedi- ate closure (MAHC 6.3.3.1). • Cyanuric acid (CYA) at ≥300 ppm now requires immediate remediation (MAHC 5.7.3.1.3.3). The e ective dose of CYA for the stabilization of chlorine-based disin- fectants is far below 300 ppm.
Editor’s Note: The National Environmental Health Association strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature this column on environmental health services from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Journal . In these columns, authors from CDC’s Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch, as well as guest authors, will share tools, resources, and guidance for environmental health practitioners. The conclusions in this column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of CDC. Jasen Kunz is the health water lead in the Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch within CDC. CDR Joseph Laco leads recreational water initiatives at the National Center for Environmental Health within CDC.
P ool codes regulate how aquatic ven- ues that are open to the public are designed, constructed, operated, and managed. These codes address topics such as how aquatic facilities are built, how life- guards are trained and certified, and how chlorine levels in the water are tested. One study showed that one out of eight routine public pool inspections and one in seven rou- tine public hot tub or spa inspections result in immediate closure because of at least one violation representing a serious threat to pub- lic health (Hlavsa et al., 2016). Most health departments and related agen- cies have programs to help ensure swimmers and aquatics sta stay safe and healthy. Pre- viously, each individual agency had to do its own research to develop or update pool codes because no single science-based reference
existed at the national level. This occurrence means that pool codes can vary across the U.S. from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) guidance from the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention (CDC) is a tool to pre- vent injury and illness linked to aquatic venues—such as pools, hot tubs, and splash pads—that are open to the public (Figure 1). CDC created the MAHC at the request of health departments and the aquatics sector to provide scientifically based guidance at the national level. The MAHC is not a fed- eral law. The MAHC is a CDC guidance doc- ument and only becomes law if voluntarily adopted (in whole or as individual code sec- tions) by a local, state, territorial, or tribal jurisdiction. This guidance brings together the latest science and best practices to help
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Volume 87 • Number 9
https://doi.org/10.70387/001c.137197
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