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Page 1 of 4  The Florida Department of Health (DOH) has revised Chapter 64e-9, Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places of the Florida Administrative Code (FAC). These changes were published in the Florida Administrative Weekly on April 10, 2009 and became effective May 24, 2009.
A number of changes have been made in the revisions that directly impact the operation of commercial swimming pools in Florida. Many pools around that state will be required to make major modifications to their circulation system which may include tearing up the pool deck. Other changes focus on entrapment issues and compliance with the Pool & Spa Safety Act. This article will highlight some of the changes that pool operators will need to address in the near future.
Changes in 64E-9 can be categorized into three major categories: Operational Changes, Construction Changes, and Entrapment Changes. Download a copy of the new health code from the DOH website. You may also be interested in a copy of the marked changes as well.
 Download a copy of the revised 64E-9 (effective May 24, 2009)
Download a copy of the 64E-9 with revisions marked.
 The DOH took time to clarify several issues with the most recent release of the code. Section 9.002 defines the terms as they are intended to be used in relation to this chapter of the FAC. The first deals with the ambigous term "dark" used to describe markings. The following
64E-9.002(13) "Marking" or “Markings” – Refers to the placement and installation of visual marking cues to help patrons identify step, bench and swimout outlines, slope break location, depth designations, and NO ENTRY and NO DIVING warnings. When markings are specified by code to be dark the term dark shall mean a Munsell Color Value from zero to four.
Wikipedia.com explains the Munsell Color System as "a color space that specifies colors based on three color dimensions: hue, value (lightness), and chroma (color purity or colorfulness).
Verbiage to clarify exactly what the volume used to determine Turnover Rate (TOR) will be has also been added:
64E-9.002(20) "Pool Turnover" - The circulation of the entire pool volume through the filter. Pool volume shall be determined from the design water level which is the normal operating water level; for gutter type pools is teh horizontal plane of the upper lip of the gutter and for skimmer pools is the centerline of the skimmer opening.
TOR requirements are summarized below referenced from several sections of the code:
| Type of Facility |
Required TOR |
Code Reference |
| Swimming Pool |
6 hours |
9.007(2) |
|
Swimming Pool
< 1000 ft2 (a)
|
3 hours |
9.007(2) |
| Wading Pools |
1 hour |
9.009(3) |
| Spas |
30 minutes |
9.010(8) |
| Water Attractions (b) |
2 hours |
9.011(1) |
| Water Activity Pools |
2 hours |
9.011(3)(c) |
| Wave Pools |
3 hours |
9.011(4)(c) |
| River Ride |
3 hours |
9.011(5)(c) |
| Zero Depth Entry Pools (c) |
|
|
|
less than 3 feet
|
2 hours |
9.011(6)(f) |
|
more than 3 feet
|
6 hours |
9.011(6)(f) |
| Interactive Water Feature |
30 minutes |
9.011(8)(f)2 |
(a) Swimming pools at health clubs less then 1000 sq. ft.
(b) Water Attractions specifically include but are not limited to slide plunge pools and water activity pools.
(c) A method is described in 64E-9.011(6)(f) to determine TOR for Water Activity Pools with zero depth entry leading to water greater then 3 feet in depth.
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