Section 216-RICR-50-05-4.5 - Supplemental Regulations for Facility Design and Construction Requirements for All Aquatic Facilities and Aquatic Venues4.5.1GeneralA. Model Aquatic Health Code references to "design professional who is registered or licensed to practice their respective design profession" shall mean a Professional Engineer with an active Rhode Island registration. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.0 )B. Recirculation of unfiltered and/or untreated water is prohibited. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.1.10.2.1)C. Aquatic Venues with infinity edges shall satisfy the enclosure requirements of § 4.5.14 of this Part and shall provide for a permanent, fixed safety barrier not less than five feet (5') in height at the infinity edge to protect against falls from the infinity edge. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.5.15)D. Food and/or beverage concessions shall be permitted in designated area(s) within the Aquatic Facility provided that the concession structures, service area, seating, patron circulation and related activities are separated from the Aquatic Venue by a permanent, fixed barrier that does not encroach on the Aquatic Venue's perimeter walkway. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.6.9.1)E. The Applicant shall coordinate review with all other agencies from which the Applicant is required to obtain approval. The Applicant shall provide copies to the Licensing Agency of permits issued by other agencies if the Licensing Agency so requests. (Restriction on § MAHC 4.1.3.1.2)F. The Applicant shall communicate Licensing Agency approvals to other agencies involved in the construction of an Aquatic Facility or Aquatic Venue. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.1.3.1.3)G. In cases where the Aquatic Facility or Aquatic Venue is exempt from Americans with Disabilities Act standards, the owner shall provide written documentation to the Licensing Agency attesting to such exemption at the time of application for construction or substantial alteration to an Aquatic Facility or Aquatic Venue. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.5.10)H. The Licensing Agency or a Professional Engineer hired by the Applicant or Licensee at the Applicant's or Licensee's expense, shall conduct a conformance inspection of newly constructed Aquatic Facilities and Aquatic Venues, and substantially altered Aquatic Facilities and Aquatic Venues, upon completion of construction or renovation.1. If the Applicant or Licensee uses the Licensing Agency to conduct the conformance inspection, the Licensing Agency shall not issue a license to operate until the Applicant or Licensee has corrected, to the satisfaction of the Licensing Agency, all deficiencies identified during the inspection. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.1.5.3 )2. If the applicant or licensee uses a Professional Engineer for a conformance inspection, then the Professional Engineer conducting the conformance inspection must sign an attestation that the Aquatic Venue owner has constructed the Aquatic Venue in accordance with the Aquatic Venue Design Compliance Form, including all applicable State and Federal laws and Regulations. The Applicant or Licensee must correct, to the satisfaction of the Professional Engineer, all deficiencies identified during the inspection.3. The Applicant or Licensee must submit an application, including the Professional Engineer's attestation, on forms provided by the Licensing Agency, in order to obtain a license or approval of modification of a license.4.5.2Skimmer SystemsA. Skimmer systems shall include a minimum of two (2) skimmers.B. The piping and other pertinent components of a skimmer system shall be sized based on one hundred percent (100%) of recirculation flow being directed through the skimmer system at the maximum possible recirculation flow rate as determined by pump capacity and minimum total dynamic head of the recirculation system. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.1.5.1.4)C. Each skimming device shall be equipped with an equalizer pipe located at least one foot (1') below the lowest skimmer overflow level, or some other device to prevent air lock in the skimmer suction line. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.1.5)4.5.3Overflow GuttersA. Overflow gutters extending completely around a pool shall be provided on all pools having a water surface area of four thousand (4,000) square feet or more. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.1.5.1.5)B. The gutter system shall be designed to allow continuous removal of water from the pool's upper surface based on one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of recirculation flow being directed through the gutter system at the maximum possible recirculation flow rate as determined by pump capacity and minimum total dynamic head of the recirculation system. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.1.4.2.1)C. A gutter system shall provide an acceptable hand hold for bathers and present no accident hazard to bathers. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.5.14.1)4.5.4Access and EgressThere shall be at least one (1) means of access and egress located at the shallow end of a swimming pool and at least one (1) means of access and egress located at the deep end of a swimming pool. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.5.3.1)
4.5.5Lane MarkingsThe Applicant shall state the basis of design for lane markings and end wall targets, such as FINA, NCAA, USA Swimming, NFSHSA, or another recognized standard. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.2.1.4)
4.5.6Diving AreaPlatforms and diving stands that are over three feet (3') high shall be equipped with guard rails. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.2.2.3)
4.5.7Theoretical Peak OccupancyThree hundred (300) square feet of pool water surface area shall be reserved around each diving board or platform. This area shall not be included in determining the bather load capacity. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.1.2.3.5.3)
4.5.8Electrical RequirementsAll electrical wiring for Aquatic Venues shall comply with R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-27.3.
4.5.9Heater RequirementsA. Water heaters shall have a seal of approval from a standards testing agency such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI-Z-21.56) or the Underwriters Laboratory (UL 1261). (Restriction on MAHC § 4.6.4)B. Electrically operated water heaters shall comply with § 4.5.8 of this Part. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.6.4 )C. Water heaters shall be equipped with a thermostatic control for the water temperature and shall be set at a temperature not to exceed one hundred four degrees Fahrenheit (104° F). (Restriction on MAHC § 4.6.4)D. A fixed thermometer shall be installed on the discharge side of the heater. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.6.4)4.5.10Pre-Coat FiltersA. Pressure pre-coat filters shall be equipped with a pre-coat pot for the purpose of introducing filter aid to form a pre-coat evenly over the filter elements when a filter is put into initial operation and after each cleaning. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.2.3 )B. The filter plant shall be provided with such pressure, vacuum, or compound gauges as are required to indicate the condition of the filter. An air relief valve shall be provided at the high point of a pressure pre-coat filter. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.2.3)C. Vacuum pre-coat filter installations shall be equipped with an adjustable high vacuum automatic shutoff to prevent damage to the pump by cavitation. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.7.2.3)4.5.11Vacuum CleaningAn existing aquatic venue that has an integral vacuum system as described by MAHC § 4.8.7.3 of the Model Aquatic Health Code shall be required to make, upon determination by the Department in its sole discretion that such configuration is present, all alterations necessary to comply with MAHC § 4.8.7. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.7.3)
4.5.12Hygiene Facilities and Hygiene FeaturesA. The minimum number of lavatories and water closets provided for each sex shall be equal to no less than one (1) per sixty (60) bathers based on maximum bather load. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.10.1.4)B. The minimum number of cleansing showers provided for each sex shall be equal to no less than one (1) per forty (40) bathers based on maximum bather load. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.10.1.4 )C. Urinals for male bathers may be substituted for up to one third (1/3) the number of water closets required where more than one (1) water closet is required. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.10.1.4)D. The Licensing Agency may increase the number of required fixtures for Aquatic Facilities at schools or other locations where scheduling of facility use warrants special consideration. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.10.1.4)4.5.13Depth Markers and Diving RestrictionsA minimum of one (1) water depth marker and one (1) no-diving marker is required for all wading pools. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.5.19.8)
4.5.14Enclosures and BarriersA. The maximum vertical clearance between grade and the bottom of an outdoor Aquatic Venue enclosure shall be no greater than two inches (2"), measured on the exterior side of the enclosure. (Restriction on § MAHC 4.8.6.2)B. Openings in the enclosure structure shall not allow passage of a four inch (4") diameter sphere. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.2)C. Solid enclosures that do not have openings, such as a masonry or stone walls, shall not contain indentations or protrusions except for normal construction tolerances and tooled masonry joints. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.2)D. Where the enclosure is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is less than forty-five inches (45"), the horizontal members shall be located on the interior side of the enclosure. Spacing between vertical members shall not exceed one and three fourths inches (1 3/4") in width. Where the enclosure is composed of horizontal and vertical members and the distance between the tops of the horizontal members is forty-five inches (45") or more, the distance between the vertical members shall not exceed four inches (4"). Where there are decorative cutouts within vertical members, spacing within the cutouts shall not exceed one and three fourths inches (1 3/4") in width. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.2)E. Where the enclosure is composed of diagonal members, such as a lattice fence, the maximum opening formed by the diagonal members shall be no more than one and three fourths inches (1 3/4"). (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.2)F. Enclosures constructed with chain-link fencing shall have a maximum mesh opening of two and one fourth (2 1/4) square inches unless the enclosure is provided with slats fastened at the top or the bottom which reduce the openings to no more than one and three fourths (1 3/4) square inches. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.2.1.2)G. The fence or screen enclosure shall be equipped with self-closing and selflatching gates. Release mechanisms for self-latching devices must be located no less than fifty-four inches (54") from the bottom of the gate. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.3.7)H. Enclosures for outdoor Aquatic Venues operating without lifeguards shall comply with R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 23-22-6(b)(1) and (4).I. Where a wall of a building serves as part of an outdoor Aquatic Venue enclosure, direct access to the pool through the wall shall be limited to doors and windows that meet the following conditions. 1. Windows leading to the Aquatic Venue area shall have a latching device at least fifty-four inches (54") above the floor. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.2.3)2. Hinged Doors, sliding doors or sliding screen doors leading to the Aquatic Venue area shall be self-closing and shall have a self-latching device that meets the requirements of § 4.5.13(G) of this Part. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.3)3. Doors leading to outdoor Aquatic Venues that operate without lifeguards shall meet the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-22-6(b)(1). (Restriction on MAHC § 4.8.6.3)J. Access to Indoor Aquatic Facilities operating without lifeguards shall comply with the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-22-6(b).K. Where a wading pool is adjacent to the deep-water area of another Aquatic Venue, a minimum four foot (4') vertical barrier with a self-closing and selflatching gate shall be installed to separate the two (2) Aquatic Venues. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.12.9.2 )4.5.15Water Supply and Wastewater DesignA. The discharge end of a pipe delivering potable water to an Aquatic Venue shall provide an air gap equivalent to at least two (2) pipe diameters above the maximum elevation of the water in the Aquatic Venue. Piping from a potable water system shall not be physically connected to the recirculation system of an Aquatic Venue. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.11)B. There shall be no direct physical connection between any part of an Aquatic Venue or its recirculation system and a sanitary sewer or subsurface sewage disposal system unless equipped with a backflow device approved by the Licensing Agency. (Restriction on MAHC § 4.11)4.5.16ConsumablesAll consumable materials, including but not limited to filter cartridges, filter media and water treatment chemicals, shall be listed and labeled to the standards of NSF/ANSI 50 by an ANSI-accredited certification organization.
216 R.I. Code R. 216-RICR-50-05-4.5
Adopted effective 1/1/2019
Amended effective 4/28/2020
Amended effective 8/24/2021
Amended effective 8/7/2022