1. Aquatic Facilities
Section IV Part 2

2. Types of Aquatic Facilities
1) Competition outdoor Pool 2) Competition Indoor Pool 3) Neighborhood Pool

3. Types of Aquatic Facilities
4) Water Parks (Aquatic Facilities of the Future)
WATER SLIDES, RIVER INTER-TUBE RIDES, SHALLOW SPLASH AREAS, WATER
CANNONS, ISLANDS AND WATER GADGETS

4. Splash Pads- New Facility Concept

5. Cost of Splash Pads?
 More than you think!
 $150K (Very Small) and Up
 Most are $250K and Up

6.  400 SF Pool
Mechanical
 1,800 SF Splash Pad
BREC Aquatics Plan  Multiple Spray
Features
Splash Pad  4,572 SF Pool Deck
 2 Shade Structures
 Fencing & Lighting
 $400,000 - $500,000
 Average Annual
Attendance
1,000 to 10,000

7. Bahama Beach Water Park
City of Dallas, Texas
 Entry Buildings / Offices
 600 ft. lazy river/lagoons
 Zero depth beach entry
 Family slide / Mat racer slides
 Large Children’s Play Area
 Shade Structures
 $6.5 - 7.5 Million
 Average Annual Attendance
100,000 to 200,000

8. Master Plan Construction Timeline-
Start to Finish
 Design 30-45 Days
 Construction 150-180 Days
 Total Project 6-8 Months

9. Aquatic Facility Design

10. Aquatic Facility Amenities
(Parts of a Pool)
1) General
 Pool Shell (vinyl liners or concrete)
 Lifeguard Stands
 Ladders
 Diving Boards (towers)
 Water Slides
 Skimmers & Gutter Systems
 Pool lights
 Main Drain
 Anti-vortex cover

11. Aquatic Facility Amenities
(Parts of a Pool)
2) Systematic
 Filtration units
 Chemical feeder pumps
 Pool Pumps (generic)
 Flow Meters
 Chlorine tanks
 Electronic Vacuums (“Ultra Max”)

12. The Aquatic Facility Manager or
The Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO)
Must know that………
 Swimming Pools operate as a “system”
 Operation of a swimming pool is the result of a
balance among all the components of this system.
 The system includes pumps, plumbing, filter
systems, automated units etc..
 The ideal AFO, is part-time engineer, plumber,
hydraulic expert, a good mechanic, a competent
electrician, risk manager, amateur attorney, legal
advisor, and successful purchasing agent.

13. The Quality AFO
 The efficient and effective operation of a pool
is dependant on operator decisions
pertaining to:
- the condition of filters
- the condition of pipes
- maintaining proper water balance
- adhering to Health Department and
State Code Regulations

14. Qualities of a Healthy Pool
I. Safety
 The number 1 quality. Pool patrons think far less
about safety than designers and contractors. From a
litigation standpoint, the following areas propose the
greatest concerns for the AFO:
a) shallow-end pool depth
b) floor contour
c) depth markings
d) diving boards
e) slides and water features

15. Qualities of a Healthy Pool
II. Water Clarity
 Today’s swimming-pool standards are extremely
high – as much as 50% greater than your typical
clarity for most municipal drinking water
 “Cloudy water” is often the most baffling water
problem confronting an AFO.
 “Murkiness” can be caused by a number of filter
problems including:
- too much chlorine
- too much acid
- bad paint

16. Pool Facility Maintenance
 Clean pool shells, deck, bathhouse, and offices
 Make sure safety equipment is in place and working
 Test all deck equipment including ladders, diving
boards, and lifeguard towers
 Establish chemical delivery dates
 Prepare surrounding grounds (mow/litter)
 Update employee manuals and S.O.P and include
facility checklists

17. Aquatic Facility Certifications
 When choosing a position in the field of aquatic
management, there are two primary certifications
to obtain in order to enhance your creditability and
marketability:
1) Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO)
General / managerial approach
2) Certified Pool Operator (CFO)
Specialized / focusing in on the mechanical
aspects of pools pumps

18. Pool State Codes & Regulations
 Aquatic Facility Operators must be certified prior to managing
aquatic facilities and/or aquatic programs.
 The primary data studied during this 3-day course pertains to
nationally recognized Aquatic Codes and Standards.
 These standards have a range of parameters based on a
particular code and the range is determined on a state by state
basis. So while there are “Nationally” recognized standards,
each state has the latitude to place minimum or maximum
regulations within the parameters provided by the national
standards.
 The local Aquatic Codes and Standards are referred to as Pool
State Codes.

19. Role of the local Health Department
 The evaluation of meeting and adhering to pool state codes
falls under the responsibility of the local Health Department of
each city.
 Prior to each pool season, Health Department representatives
will inspect the facility or facilities to determine compliance with
pool standards as well as other health related standards (i.e. –
sales of food and beverages)
 When a pool facility passes the pre-season Health Department
inspection, that particular pool facility is then issued an
operational permit.
 During the course of an aquatic season, Health Department
officials will also conduct inspections both planned and
unannounced to ensure compliance.

20. Pool State Codes
 Pool State Code Regulations entail a very extensive
and diverse set of standards. The 6 major sections
include:
 1) Aquatic Facility Design
 2) Aquatic Facility Safety
 3) Water Treatment
 4) Safety Equipment
 5) Administrative Standards
 6) Environmental Considerations

21. Step 1: Designing an Aquatic Facility
(S.F.C. – Round 1 Question)
 Designing an aquatic facility entails a 10-step process:
1) Community (customer) needs assessment
2) Planning- needs & demand analysis of use patterns,
demographic profiles, and determining financing options
to build the pool facility
3) Program considerations or “architectural programming”
by the AFO to the pool engineers and architects
providing information on water depth, user group
analysis, pool lighting, specialty groups (swim teams
and swim meets), playground amenities..etc..

22. Step 1- Designing an Aquatic Facility
4) Site Design – If the AFO or his/her immediate staff lacks
the necessary expertise to formulate the design and
engineering work for a new facility, then selecting an
architectural or consulting design firm is imperative.
The best way to execute this process is to use a Request
for Qualifications (RFQ) or Request for Proposal (RFP).
5) Public Education- By holding public meetings and posting
construction documents (blueprints) along with a
timeline of facility completion.

23. Step 1 -Designing an Aquatic Facility
6) Bid Process – A process of advertising your proposal to
companies who specialize in building an aquatic facility. The bid
process allows the SFM organization to weed out high cost
companies.
7) Award the Contract – By using an extensive process as guided by
your organizational lawyers instructing the contractor of deadline
dates etc.
8) Monitoring the Contract – Through site visits and supervisory
reports, and documentation of results.
9) Inspection and Acceptance – Final approval by the AFO and
executive managers that the facility is ready to be used.
10) Facility Dedication Opening- Grand opening ceremony
for your customers.

24. 2) Aquatic Facility Safety
1) The purpose of pool barriers or enclosures (aka-chain link
fencing) can be based on keeping live beings from entering
the area which includes a total of five: a) spectators b) non-
patrons c) unauthorized persons d) visitors and e) domestic
animals. In addition, pool barriers must NOT have a gap of
more than 4 inches at the bottom and must equal a height of
6 feet.
2) There are certain pool shell colors which are allowed by each
state. The two primary colors include white and blue.
3) Depth Markers and Deck Signage – is required by every
state and has a specific set of standards such as warning
signs depicted by pictures and symbols

25. 2) Aquatic Facility Safety
(S.F.C.- Question Round #1)
 Every state mandates posting of pool rules at the
entrance of each facility. Six of the main rules
include:
1) Every patron must shower prior to entering the
pool
2) Apparel requirements- (cutoffs/t-shirs)
3) No glass containers
4) No alcohol & drugs
5) No animals
6) No entering the pool area with open cuts or lesions

26. 3. Water Treatment
1) Water treatment pertains to the clarity of pool water.
Generally, if pools managers are unable to clearly see the
bottom of the pool (pool drains for concrete pool shells) the
pool should be closed. Many states use a one inch disk at
the bottom of the pool as a tool for pool clarity evaluation.
2) Chlorine levels should be at least 1.0 to 3.0 ppm (Parts Per
Million) and pH levels at 7.2 to 7.8
3) Another water treatment procedure to maintain proper water
chemistry includes supercholrination – a process of raising
the chlorine residual by 10-fold
4) Every state now requires each pool facility to have a “fecal
policy”. Which pertains to closing procedures when an
“accident” happens in a pool.

27. 4. Safety Equipment
(S.F.C. Question Round 1)
 Pool State Codes require the following:
a) First aid kits
b) Blankets
c) Shepherds crook
d) Ring buoy
e) Rescue tubes
f) Backboards
g) Working telephone

28. 5. Administrative Standards
 Pool State Codes
require:
a) Operation manuals
(general rules and
pump room
procedures)
b) Uniforms of lifeguards
(matching)
c) LG Certification
requirements
d) LG to patron ratios
( Texas is officially

29. 6. Environmental Considerations
 The main focus pertains to bad weather conditions
and particularly lightning.
 Each pool must have a “weather radio” and/or
“lighting detector”. Each organization has standards
closing pools pertaining to lighting within 1 mile, 2
miles, 3 miles..closes a pool
 Beyond the above instruments used, the general rule
is to suspend pool activities until thirty minutes after
the last thunder is heard