ARTICLE 5. Swimming Pool Sanitation and Safety [116025. - 116068.]

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 5.
in effect

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116025. Section 116025.

“Public swimming pool,” as used in this article, means any public swimming pool, bathhouse, public swimming and bathing place and all related appurtenances.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116028. Section 116028.

Except as provided in Section 116033, “lifeguard service,” as used in this article, means the attendance at a public swimming pool, during periods of use, of one or more lifeguards who possess, as minimum qualifications, current certificates from an American Red Cross or YMCA of the U.S.A. lifeguard training program, or have equivalent qualifications, as determined by the department, and who are trained to administer first aid, including, but not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation in conformance with Section 123725 and the regulations adopted thereunder, and who have no duties to perform other than to supervise the safety of participants in water-contact activities. “Lifeguard services” includes the supervision of the safety of participants in water-contact activities by lifeguards who are providing swimming lessons, coaching or overseeing water-contact sports, or providing water safety instructions to participants when no other persons are using the facilities unless those persons are supervised by separate lifeguard services.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116030. Section 116030.

(a) The construction standards as set forth in this article and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto, shall not apply to any artificially constructed swimming facility in excess of 20,000 square feet of surface area, including, but not limited to, a manmade lake or swimming lagoon with sand beaches. (b) The requirements of this article and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, pertaining to the operation, maintenance, and use of a public swimming pool, including the quality and purity of the water, lifesaving and other measures to ensure the safety of bathers, and measures to ensure personal cleanliness of bathers shall apply to the swimming facilities described in subdivision (a).

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116033. Section 116033.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), persons providing aquatic instruction, including, but not limited to, swimming instruction, water safety instruction, water contact activities, and competitive aquatic sports, at a public swimming pool shall possess current certificates from an American Red Cross or YMCA of the U.S.A. lifeguard training program, or have equivalent qualifications, as determined by the department. In addition, these persons shall be certified in standard first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). All these persons shall meet these qualifications by January 1, 1991. Persons who only disseminate written materials relating to water safety are not persons providing aquatic instruction within the meaning of this section. The requirements of this section shall be waived under either of the following circumstances: (1) When one or more aquatic instructors possessing the current certificates from an American Red Cross or YMCA of the U.S.A. lifeguard training program, or the equivalent, are in attendance continuously during periods of aquatic instruction. (2) When one or more lifeguards meeting the requirements of Section 116028 are in attendance continuously during periods of aquatic instruction. (b) If there is a staffing shortage where a local public agency pool operator, acting in good faith, is unable to maintain required staffing levels to maintain regular operating hours, the local public agency may use qualified lifeguard personnel, as defined in subdivision (c), to provide lifeguard services at a public swimming pool, if both requirements are met: (1) The public agency is recognized by the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) as a certified agency capable of administering an ongoing training program. (2) The legislative body of the public agency makes a finding by resolution stating the use of qualified lifeguard personnel is needed for a time period no longer than 12 months in order to maintain regular operating hours of public swimming pools. (c) As used in this section, “qualified lifeguard personnel” means a public agency lifeguard who has received and maintains USLA training from a certified agency, is certified in standard first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and has received additional public swimming pool-specific crossover training, provided by personnel certified by a national training agency, including treatment of spinal injuries, floatation device use techniques, pool extraction and extrication techniques, and submerged rescue techniques.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116036. Section 116036.

The Legislature finds and declares both of the following: (a) In California, drowning is the leading cause of death for children 4 years of age and younger, the second leading cause of death for children 5 to 14 years of age, inclusive, and the third leading cause of death for teenagers and youth 15 to 24 years of age, inclusive. (b) Swim instruction provided by persons who are qualified and certified pursuant to Section 116033 increases swim skills and water competency, the development of which is both well established through evidence-based research to have an impact on reducing drowning and is declared an essential component of California’s actions toward preventing drowning for all ages of children and adults.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116038. Section 116038.

Every person proposing to construct a public swimming pool shall file a copy of the plans therefor, prior to construction, with the local health officer having jurisdiction for approval.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116043. Section 116043.

Every public swimming pool, including swimming pool structure, appurtenances, operation, source of water supply, amount and quality of water recirculated and in the pool, method of water purification, lifesaving apparatus, measures to insure safety of bathers, and measures to insure personal cleanliness of bathers shall be such that the public swimming pool is at all times sanitary, healthful and safe.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116045. Section 116045.

(a) Lifeguard service shall be provided for any public swimming pool that is of wholly artificial construction and for the use of which a direct fee is charged. For all other public swimming pools, lifeguard service shall be provided or signs shall be erected clearly indicating that the service is not provided. (b) Every public swimming pool that is required to provide lifeguard services and that charges a direct fee, as defined in subdivision (e), shall provide on its premises an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) unit. The AED unit shall be readily available during pool operations. (c) (1) In order to ensure public safety, a person or entity that acquires an AED pursuant to these provisions shall comply with Section 1797.196. (2) Pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 1714.21 of the Civil Code, a person or entity that acquires an AED for emergency care pursuant to this section shall not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any acts or omissions in the rendering of emergency care by use of the AED. (3) Pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1714.21 of the Civil Code, a volunteer who in good faith renders emergency care or treatment at the scene of an emergency with the use of an AED that is provided under this section shall not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any acts or omissions in rendering the emergency care, subject to the limitation in subdivision (e) of that section. (d) For purposes of this section, a complex of two or more proximate pools that charges a single fee for admission to all of those pools shall be considered one single public swimming pool. (e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Direct fee” means a separately stated fee or charge for the use of a public swimming pool to the exclusion of any other service, facility, or amenity. (2) “Public swimming pool” means any public swimming pool defined in Section 116025 that is open to the public.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116046. Section 116046.

(a) The State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health, shall issue best practices guidelines related to pool safety at K–12 schools. (b) Guidelines promulgated pursuant to this section that relate to the use or placement of automated external defibrillators shall be consistent with the requirements imposed under Section 1797.196, and shall include a reference to Section 49417 of the Education Code for purposes of providing information to schools about the liability protections and funding mechanisms provided in that section.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116048. Section 116048.

(a) On or after January 1, 1987, for public swimming pools in any common interest development, as defined in Section 4100 or 6534 of the Civil Code, that consists of fewer than 25 separate interests, as defined in Section 4185 or 6564 of the Civil Code, the person operating each pool open for use shall be required to keep a record of the information required by subdivision (a) of Section 65523 of Title 22 of the California Administrative Code, except that the information shall be recorded at least two times per week and at intervals no greater than four days apart. (b) On or after January 1, 1987, any rule or regulation of the department that is in conflict with subdivision (a) is invalid.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116049. Section 116049.

(a) “Public swimming pool,” as used in this section, means any public swimming pool defined in Section 116025 that is owned or operated by the state or any local governmental entity, including, but not limited to, any city, county, city and county, charter city, charter county, or charter city and county. (b) All dry-niche light fixtures, and all underwater wet-niche light fixtures operating at more than 15 volts in public swimming pools shall be protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter in the branch circuit, and all light fixtures in public swimming pools shall have encapsulated terminals. This subdivision is declaratory of existing law. (c) Any public swimming pools that do not meet the requirements specified in subdivision (b) by January 1, 1995, shall be retrofitted to comply with these requirements by January 1, 1996. (d) The ground-fault circuit interrupter required pursuant to this section shall comply with Underwriter’s Laboratory standards. (e) Any state or local governmental entity that owns or operates a public swimming pool shall have its public swimming pool inspected by a qualified inspector prior to July 1, 1996, to determine compliance with this section. (f) A public swimming pool may charge a fee, or increase its fee charged, to the public for use of the pool, for the purpose of recovering the administrative and other costs of retrofitting pools in compliance with this section. The charge or increase due to this section shall terminate when funds sufficient to cover these costs are collected. (g) All electrical work required for compliance with this section shall be performed by an electrician licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116049.1. Section 116049.1.

(a) “Public swimming pool,” as used in this section, means any swimming pool operated for the use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of the members and guests of a private club, including any swimming pool located on the grounds of a hotel, motel, inn, an apartment complex, or any residential setting other than a single-family home. For purposes of this section, public swimming pool shall not include a swimming pool located on the grounds of a private single-family home. (b) The design and installation of all underwater lighting systems, operating at more than 15 volts, supplied from a branch circuit either directly or by way of a transformer, shall be installed in a public swimming pool, as defined in this section, so that there is no shock hazard with any likely combination of fault conditions during normal use, and shall comply with both of the following requirements: (1) An approved ground-fault circuit interrupter shall be installed in the branch circuit that supplies all fixtures operating at more than 15 volts. (2) Only approved underwater lighting fixtures shall be used and no lighting fixtures shall be installed for operations at more than 150 volts between conductors. (c) Any public swimming pool that does not meet the requirements specified in subdivision (b), shall be retrofitted to comply with these requirements by May 1, 1999. (d) The ground-fault circuit interrupter required pursuant to this section shall comply with standards acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. (e) The owner or operator of a public swimming pool shall, on or before May 1, 1999, comply with both of the following: (1) Obtain an inspection of its public swimming pool by the local health officer or a qualified contractor as set forth in subdivision (f). (2) Certify to the local health officer as set forth in Section 116053 that the public swimming pool facility is in compliance with this section. (f) All electrical work required for compliance with this section shall be performed by a person licensed to perform electrical work within his or her general, specialty, or limited specialty contractor’s licensed scope of practice pursuant to Section 7059 of the Business and Professions Code. (g) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Yasmin Paleso’o Memorial Swimming Pool Safety Law.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116050. Section 116050.

Except as provided in Section 18930, the department shall make and enforce regulations pertaining to public swimming pools as it deems proper and shall enforce building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to public swimming pools; provided, that no rule or regulation as to design or construction of pools shall apply to any pool that has been constructed before the adoption of the regulation, if the pool as constructed is reasonably safe and the manner of the construction does not preclude compliance with the requirements of the regulations as to bacteriological and chemical quality and clarity of the water in the pool. The department shall adopt and submit building standards for approval pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18935) of Part 2.5 of Division 13 for the purposes described in this section.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116053. Section 116053.

Every health officer shall enforce the building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to swimming pools and the other regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this article in his or her jurisdiction.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116055. Section 116055.

For the purposes of this article, any health officer, or any inspector of the department, may at all reasonable times enter all parts of the premises of a public swimming pool to make examination and investigation to determine the sanitary condition and whether this article, building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to swimming pools, or the other regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this article are being violated.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116063. Section 116063.

Any nuisance maintained in violation of this article may be abated or enjoined in an action brought by a local health officer, or the department, or it may be summarily abated in the manner provided by law for the summary abatement of other public nuisances dangerous to health.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116064. Section 116064.

(a) As used in this section the following words have the following meanings: (1) (A) “Public wading pool” means a pool that meets all of the following criteria: (i) It has a maximum water depth not exceeding 18 inches. (ii) It is a pool other than a pool that is located on the premises of a one-unit or two-unit residence, intended solely for the use of the residents or guests. (B) “Public wading pool” includes, but is not limited to, a pool owned or operated by private persons or agencies, or by state or local governmental agencies. (C) “Public wading pool” includes, but is not limited to, a pool located in an apartment house, hotel, or similar setting, that is intended for the use of residents or guests. (2) “Alteration” means any of the following: (A) To change, modify, or rearrange the structural parts or the design. (B) To enlarge. (C) To move the location of. (D) To install a new water circulation system. (E) To make any repairs costing fifty dollars ($50) or more to an existing circulation system. (3) “ANSI/APSP performance standard” means a standard that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and published by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP). (4) “Suction outlet” means a fitting or fixture typically located at the bottom or on the sides of a swimming pool that conducts water to a recirculating pump. (b) A public wading pool shall have at least two circulation suction outlets per pump that are hydraulically balanced and symmetrically plumbed through one or more “T” fittings, and are separated by a distance of at least three feet in any dimension between the suction outlets. (c) All public wading pool suction outlets shall be covered with antivortex grates or similar protective devices. All suction outlets shall be covered with grates or antivortex plates that cannot be removed except with the use of tools. Slots or openings in the grates or similar protective devices shall be of a shape, area, and arrangement that would prevent physical entrapment and would not pose any suction hazard to bathers. (d) (1) The State Department of Health Services may adopt regulations pursuant to this section. (2) The regulations may include, but not be limited to, standards permitting the use of alternative devices or safeguards, or incorporating new technologies, that produce, at a minimum, equivalent protection against entrapment and suction hazard, whenever these devices, safeguards, or technologies become available to the public. (3) Regulations adopted pursuant to this section constitute building standards and shall be forwarded pursuant to Section 11343 of the Government Code to the California Building Standards Commission for approval as set forth in Section 18907 of the Health and Safety Code. (e) The California Building Standards Commission shall approve the building standards as set forth in this section and publish them in the California Building Standards Code by November 1, 1999. The commission shall publish the text of this section in Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, Part 2, Chapter 31B, requirements for public swimming pools, with the following note: “NOTE: These building standards are in statute but have not been adopted through the regulatory process.” Enforcement of the standards set forth in this section does not depend upon adoption of regulations, therefore, enforcement agencies shall enforce the standards pursuant to the timeline set forth in this section prior to adoption of related regulations. (f) The maximum velocity in the pump suction hydraulic system shall not exceed six feet per second when 100 percent of the pump’s flow comes from the circulation system and any suction outlet in the system is completely blocked. (g) On and after January 1, 1998, all newly constructed public wading pools shall be constructed in compliance with this section. (h) Commencing January 1, 1998, whenever a construction permit is issued for alteration of an existing public wading pool, it shall be retrofitted so as to be in compliance with this section. (i) By January 1, 2000, every public wading pool, regardless of the date of original construction, shall be retrofitted to comply with this section.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116064.2. Section 116064.2.

(a) As used in this section, the following words have the following meanings: (1) “ANSI/APSP performance standard” means a standard that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and published by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP). (2) “ASME/ANSI performance standard” means a standard that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute and published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. (3) “ASTM performance standard” means a standard that is developed and published by ASTM International. (4) “Public swimming pool” means an outdoor or indoor structure, whether in-ground or above-ground, intended for swimming or recreational bathing, including a swimming pool, hot tub, spa, or nonportable wading pool, that is any of the following: (A) Open to the public generally, whether for a fee or free of charge. (B) Open exclusively to members of an organization and their guests, residents of a multiunit apartment building, apartment complex, residential real estate development, or other multifamily residential area, or patrons of a hotel or other public accommodations facility. (C) Located on the premises of an athletic club, or public or private school. (5) “Qualified individual” means a contractor who holds a current valid license issued by the State of California or a professional engineer licensed in the State of California who has experience working on public swimming pools. (6) “Safety vacuum release system” means a vacuum release system that ceases operation of the pump, reverses the circulation flow, or otherwise provides a vacuum release at a suction outlet when a blockage is detected. (7) “Skimmer equalizer line” means a suction outlet located below the waterline, typically on the side of the pool, and connected to the body of a skimmer that prevents air from being drawn into the pump if the water level drops below the skimmer weir. However, a skimmer equalizer line is not a suction outlet for purposes of subdivisions (c) and (d). (8) “Suction outlet” means a fitting or fixture of a swimming pool that conducts water to a recirculating pump. (9) “Unblockable suction outlet” means a suction outlet, including the sump, that has a perforated (open) area that cannot be shadowed by the area of the 18 inch by 23 inch Body Blocking Element of the ANSI/APSP-16 performance standard, and that the rated flow through any portion of the remaining open area cannot create a suction force in excess of the removal force values in Table 1 of that standard. (b) (1) Subject to subdivision (e), every public swimming pool shall be equipped with antientrapment devices or systems that comply with the ANSI/APSP-16 performance standard or successor standard designated by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2) A public swimming pool that has a suction outlet in any location other than on the bottom of the pool shall be designed so that the recirculation system shall have the capacity to provide a complete turnover of pool water within the following time: (A) One-half hour or less for a spa pool. (B) One-half hour or less for a spray ground. (C) One hour or less for a wading pool. (D) Two hours or less for a medical pool. (E) Six hours or less for all other types of public pools. (c) Subject to subdivisions (d) and (e), every public swimming pool with a single suction outlet that is not an unblockable suction outlet shall be equipped with at least one or more of the following devices or systems that are designed to prevent physical entrapment by pool drains: (1) A safety vacuum release system that has been tested by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and found to conform to ASME/ANSI performance standard A112.19.17, as in effect on December 31, 2009, or ASTM performance standard F2387, as in effect on December 31, 2009. (2) A suction-limiting vent system with a tamper-resistant atmospheric opening, provided that it conforms to any applicable ASME/ANSI or ASTM performance standard. (3) A gravity drainage system that utilizes a collector tank, provided that it conforms to any applicable ASME/ANSI or ASTM performance standard. (4) An automatic pump shutoff system tested by a department-approved independent third party and found to conform to any applicable ASME/ANSI or ASTM performance standard. (5) Any other system that is deemed, in accordance with federal law, to be equally effective as, or more effective than, the systems described in paragraph (1) at preventing or eliminating the risk of injury or death associated with the circulation system of the pool and suction outlets. (d) Every public swimming pool constructed on or after January 1, 2010, shall have at least two suction outlets per pump that are hydraulically balanced and symmetrically plumbed through one or more “T” fittings, and that are separated by a distance of at least three feet in any dimension between the suction outlets. A public swimming pool constructed on or after January 1, 2010, that meets the requirements of this subdivision, shall be exempt from the requirements of subdivision (c). (e) A public swimming pool constructed prior to January 1, 2010, shall be retrofitted to comply with subdivisions (b) and (c) by no later than July 1, 2010, except that no further retrofitting is required for a public swimming pool that completed a retrofit between December 19, 2007, and January 1, 2010, that complied with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 8001 et seq.) as in effect on the date of issue of the construction permit, or for a nonportable wading pool that completed a retrofit prior to January 1, 2010, that complied with state law on the date of issue of the construction permit. A public swimming pool owner who meets the exception described in this subdivision shall do one of the following prior to September 30, 2010: (1) File the form issued by the department pursuant to subdivision (f), as otherwise provided in subdivision (h). (2) (A) File a signed statement attesting that the required work has been completed. (B) Provide a document containing the name and license number of the qualified individual who completed the required work. (C) Provide either a copy of the final building permit, if required by the local agency, or a copy of one of the following documents if no permit was required: (i) A document that describes the modification in a manner that provides sufficient information to document the work that was done to comply with federal law. (ii) A copy of the final paid invoice. The amount paid for the services may be omitted or redacted from the final invoice prior to submission. (f) Prior to March 31, 2010, the department shall issue a form for use by an owner of a public swimming pool to indicate compliance with this section. The department shall consult with county health officers and directors of departments of environmental health in developing the form and shall post the form on the department’s Internet Web site. The form shall be completed by the owner of a public swimming pool prior to filing the form with the appropriate city, county, or city and county department of environmental health. The form shall include, but not be limited to, the following information: (1) A statement of whether the pool operates with a single suction outlet or multiple suction outlets that comply with subdivision (d). (2) Identification of the type of antientrapment devices or systems that have been installed pursuant to subdivision (b) and the date or dates of installation. (3) Identification of the type of devices or systems designed to prevent physical entrapment that have been installed pursuant to subdivision (c) in a public swimming pool with a single suction outlet that is not an unblockable suction outlet and the date or dates of installation or the reason why the requirement is not applicable. (4) A signature and license number of a qualified individual who certifies that the factual information provided on the form in response to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, is true to the best of his or her knowledge. (g) A qualified individual who improperly certifies information pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (f) shall be subject to potential disciplinary action at the discretion of the licensing authority. (h) Except as provided in subdivision (e), each public swimming pool owner shall file a completed copy of the form issued by the department pursuant to this section with the city, county, or city and county department of environmental health in the city, county, or city and county in which the swimming pool is located. The form shall be filed within 30 days following the completion of the swimming pool construction or installation required pursuant to this section or, if the construction or installation is completed prior to the date that the department issues the form pursuant to this section, within 30 days of the date that the department issues the form. The public swimming pool owner or operator shall not make a false statement, representation, certification, record, report, or otherwise falsify information that he or she is required to file or maintain pursuant to this section. (i) In enforcing this section, health officers and directors of city, county, or city and county departments of environmental health shall consider documentation filed on or with the form issued pursuant to this section by the owner of a public swimming pool as evidence of compliance with this section. A city, county, or city and county department of environmental health may verify the accuracy of the information filed on or with the form. (j) To the extent that the requirements for public wading pools imposed by Section 116064 conflict with this section, the requirements of this section shall prevail. (k) The department shall have no authority to take any enforcement action against any person for violation of this section and has no responsibility to administer or enforce the provisions of this section.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 116065. Section 116065.

Every person who violates any provision of this article, building standards published in the State Building Standards Code relating to swimming pools, or the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the provisions of this article, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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