A Model Aquatic Health Code for Healthy Pools

Since 1978, the number of illness outbreaks associated with recreational water has increased significantly. Many of these illnesses can be prevented by proper maintenance, water treatment, and updated disease prevention practices. At the request of local and state health departments, and the aquatics industry, CDC led a national effort to develop the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

The MAHC is a free resource based on science and best practices. Government agencies can use the MAHC to make swimming healthier and safer and reduce risk for drowning, pool-chemical injuries, and outbreaks of waterborne disease.

Aquatics industry leaders don’t have to wait for a government agency to adopt the MAHC. They can implement key MAHC elements now to start improving health and safety at their facilities.

The MAHC includes voluntary guidelines for

• Public swimming pools
• Pools, hot tubs, and spas in hotels, apartment complexes, and neighborhoods
• Waterparks
• Other aquatic facilities

The guidelines address

• Design and construction, such as secondary disinfection systems to kill chlorine-tolerant organisms and reduce outbreaks
• Operations and maintenance, such as lifeguarding standards to reduce drowning
• Policies and management, such as training for pool operators to reduce pool chemical accidents, pool closures, and other issues

The MAHC also includes a summary of the scientific rationale behind the guidance.

“The health and safety benefits of improved practices outlined in the MAHC are numerous,” says CDR Jasen Kunz, environmental health officer and co-lead of the MAHC. “An aquatic facility could expect to see improved swimmer hygiene, improved water quality, improved employee training, and reduced pool closures. Longer term, we anticipate the MAHC to drive public health improvements, such as reductions in recreational water outbreaks, drowning, and pool chemical injuries.”

Learn more about the Model Aquatic Health Code.