Public Swimming Pools and Spa Pools

Public swimming pools and spa pools must be maintained and registered in accordance with the Public Health Act 2010 and Public Health Regulation 2012.

Register your public pool or spa

All operators of public swimming and spa pools are required to complete a Notification of Public Swimming Pools and Spa Pools Registration Form(PDF, 222KB) and return it to us - fee applies.

What is a public swimming pool or spa pool?

Under the Public Health Act 2010, the definition of a public swimming and spa pool is defined as:

  • a swimming pool, wading pool or hydrotherapy pool
  • a spa pool (other than a swimming pool) that holds more than 680 litres of water and has facilities for injecting jets of water or air into the water
  • recreational aquatic structures such as interactive water features, water play parks or fountain, water playgrounds, splash parks and water slide pools.

Additionally, to which the public is admitted for human bathing, swimming or diving, or recreational aquatic purposes, whether free of charge, on payment of a fee or otherwise:

  1. A pool to which the public is admitted as an entitlement of membership of a club
  2. A pool provided at a workplace for the use of employees
  3. A pool provided at a hotel, motel or guest house or at holiday units, or similar facility, for the use of guests
  4. A pool provided at a school or hospital, but not including a pool situated at private residential premises
  5. A pool situated at private residential premises, but only if that pool is used for commercial purposes
  6. Or any other pool or spa pool declared by the regulations to be a public swimming pool or spa pool.

Swimming pools and spas are potential sources of infection

Public pools need to be clean to be safe. Poor maintenance of swimming pool water quality can increase the risk of water borne illnesses causing diarrhoea and ear infections.

Properly and continuously disinfecting water is important in maintaining safe and healthy swimming pools within the community.

Cryptosporidium in pools

Pool operators must also be aware of the procedures for minimising the risk of spreading Cryptosporidium, a gastrointestinal infection in pools.

Inspecting and sampling

Campbelltown City Council Environmental Health Officers carry out inspections on all public swimming and spa pools to assess compliance with schedule 1 of the Public Health Regulation 2012. This includes checking on matters such as:

  • Correct and current registration details of the pool
  • Ensuring the primary disinfectant is either chlorine or bromine
  • The public pool is fitted with either an automatic or continuously metered disinfectant dosing system
  • Water testing shows correct levels of bromine or chlorine, pH, alkalinity, combined chlorine and cyanuric acid, and meets certain temperature
  • Operators meet the testing and record keeping requirements.

Failure to comply

Failure to comply with the legislative requirements surrounding the maintenance of a public swimming or spa pool may result in enforcement action taken against the operator in the form of a warning letter or improvement notice.

For serious breaches a prohibition order may be issued against the occupier resulting in the premises being closed until sufficient corrective action is taken as deemed necessary by an Environmental Health Officer.

Further information

NSW Health's Public swimming pools and spa pools webpage provides comprehensive information regarding the legislation, guidelines, clean pools for healthy swimming posters, brochures, factsheets and contamination response plans for operators.

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