Resource Library for the Adoption of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)
TABLE 1
Top 10 Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) Network Webinars
Webinar Title
Date
# of Attendees
ance in its entirety. One such local health department is the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE). To help improve swimmer safety and health, PDPHE adopted and implemented the MAHC on January 1, 2022. Located in Southeast Colorado, PDPHE covers Pueblo County and the city of Pueblo, which is the 9th largest city in Colorado. Their recreational water program oversees 48 aquatic facilities located within 75 venues. Before implementing the MAHC, the swim- ming pool and mineral bath regulations had been last updated in 1994. NACCHO partnered with PDPHE in 2023 to capture their MAHC adoption and imple- mentation experience to share with local jurisdictions interested in undergoing a simi- lar process. With their permission, NACCHO complied tools PDPHE developed and used for MAHC adoption and implementation into a downloadable MAHC Implementation Resource Library for local health departments (see Sidebar). Additionally, members of the PDPHE Recreational Water Team shared and answered questions about their MAHC adop- tion experience during a NACCHO webinar in July 2023. You can explore a resource library of tools that the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment used to assist in its adoption and implementa- tion efforts of the MAHC. What is in the resource library? • Board of health presentations • Inspection reports • Partner newsletters and presentations • Draft codes • Surveys and forms How can you access the resource library? 1. Visit https://toolbox.naccho.org/ pages/tool-view.html?id=6014 2. Log in or create a free MyNACCHO account 3. Click to download the resources as a zipped le
Healthy and Safe Swimming at Public Aquatic Venues During the COVID-19 Pandemic Waterborne Infectious Disease Burden and Recreational Water-Associated Illness in the United States Indoor Air Quality in Swimming Facilities: Dynamics of Gas-Phase Trichloramine
5/22/2020
546
12/4/2023
501
2/23/2023
342
Provisional Model Aquatic Health Code Updates
2/23/2022 3/26/2019 2/16/2021 7/30/2019 1/30/2018 5/24/2022 5/24/2017
263 194 177 159 150 149 148
Floatation Tanks: A Review and Discussion of MAHC Requirements
Results From Vote on the Code: A Review of Key Proposed Changes for the MAHC 4th Edition
Drowning Is Preventable
Cyanuric Acid: It’s Not Just About Crypto Considerations for Increased Risk Venues
Cryptosporidium in Public Swimming Venues: Recommendations for Reducing Crypto Risk in Swimming Pools
Note. You can find all these webinars and others on the YouTube playlist for the MAHC Network at www.youtube.com/ playlist?list=PLIMrymKEFdbeEPkoj2mStPeolFLhloYGc.
Quick Guide for Splash Pads From the National Association of County and City Health Officials FIGURE 1
What Are Splash Pads? • Any indoor or outdoor installation that sprays or jets bathers with water designed in a way that standing or captured water is typically not part of the bather activity area. • Splash pads are primarily used by children and use a recirculation system (i.e., a system that recycles and disinfects the water). • Splash pads are also known as spray pads or wet decks. View and download the quick guide at www.naccho.org/uploads/ downloadable-resources/quickguide-splashpads-2023.pdf.
ritorial, and tribal health departments and pool and hot tub operators on the safe operation of splash pads and floatation tanks that are based on the 4th edition of the MAHC. Input from NACCHO members and conversations with subject matter experts showed that concise guidance on splash pads and floatation tanks was needed due to the unique nature of these aquatic venues. Most often used by children, splash pads (Figure 1) typically do not have standing water in the activity area. Floatation
tanks (Figure 2) use a saturated solution of magnesium sulfate with a specific gravity of 1.23–1.30 to provide users with an environ- ment with reduced external stimuli. The Journey of One Local Health Department to Adopt the MAHC NACCHO works to collect best practices and lessons learned from local jurisdictions that have used the MAHC; however, very few local jurisdictions have adopted the guid-
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May 2024 • Journal of Environmental Health
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