Title 25 Health Services
Part I Department of State Health Services
Chapter 265 General Sanitation
Subchapter M Public Interactive Water Features and Fountains
§§265.301 – 265.308
Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Standards for Public Pools and Spas, Section 265.181 - 265.200
MS Word format (559KB) including a Table of Contents
The new pool rules take portions from 25 TAC, Chapter 337, Water Hygiene, Subchapter B, Design Standards for Public Swimming Pool Construction, adopted in 1965 and from 25 TAC, Chapter 265, General Sanitation, Subchapter L, Standards for Public Pools and Spas, adopted in 1999. Both the 1965 rule and the 1999 rule were repealed, effective September 1, 2004. The new rules, 25 TAC, Chapter 265, Subchapter L, Standards for Swimming Pools and Spas went into effect on September 1, 2004 (except Section 265.190, which has an effective date of January 1, 2005.)
The new rules include some changes, the most significant of which can be found in Section 265.190, Suction outlets and return inlets beginning on page 33 of the MS Word Version.
Even though the rules are new, already, errors have been found. As they are discovered they will be noted and posted on the Web site. Corrections to the rules and adoption of the corrections into the body of the rules will be made as soon as possible.
Corrections:
Section 265.190(e)(1)(B), Upgrading suction outlet systems on pre-10/01/99 pools and spas, (page 36 of the MS Word version) should read:
(B) a single suction outlet with an approved grate with a minimum diagonal measurement of 24 inches and a flow velocity of 1.5 fps as described in subsection (c)(2) or (c)(4) of this section, and either an AVS or an SVRD as described in subsection (d)(3) of this section; or
Section 265.190(o)(2), Clearance beneath a main drain cover or grate for pre-10/01/99 pools and spas should read:
(2) cover assemblies that do not connect directly to the circulation piping must have either the manufacturer's recommended sump below the approved suction outlet cover or grate, or a field built sump of the design specified by the manufacturer of the approved suction outlet cover or grate.
Section 265.205(e)(24)(H), Specific construction and operational standards for post-10/01/99 spas (page 64 of the MS Word version), should read:
(H) If an air blower or other means of introducing air is provided, a manually operated timer switch located as to require the exiting of the spa to reset shall be provided. Such a timer shall operate the spa blower and the booster pump and shall automatically shut the blower and booster pump off in 15 minutes or when manually switched to the off position.
On October 3, 2002, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Recreation Facilities was revised. The adopted guidelines for "public" and "common use" pools are found in Section 15.8. The guidelines are provided by the United States Access Board.