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Public pools and spas

The Public Health Act 2010 (the Act) defines a public swimming and spa pool as:

  • Swimming pool: a structure used for human bathing, swimming or diving, and includes a water slide, water play park, or other recreational aquatic structure.
  • Spa pool: a structure (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.

The Act also defines a public swimming or spa pool, as a pool used by the public, including:

  • as an entitlement of membership of a club
  • at a workplace for employees to use
  • at a hotel, motel or guest house or at holiday units, or similar facility, for guests to use
  • at a school or hospital
  • at a private residential premises, but only if that pool is used for commercial purposes
  • a pool declared by the Public Health Regulation 2012 to be a public swimming pool or spa pool.

Register your public pool or spa

Operators must notify Council and register public swimming pools or spas under the Act and Public Health Regulation 2022. You'll need to complete a notification form and return it to us:

Inspections and testing

Council's Environmental Health Officers inspect public swimming pools and spa pools in the Eurobodalla. Officers carry out these inspections to check that operators are following the requirements in Schedule 1 of the Public Health Regulation 2022 to prevent transmission of disease and bacteria. This includes, ensuring:

  • registration details of the pool are correct and current
  • the pool is fitted with an automated or a continuous metered disinfectant dosing system
  • the pool is disinfected with chlorine or bromine
  • water testing shows correct disinfectant, pH, alkalinity and cyanuric acid levels
  • operators meet the testing and record keeping requirements.

Inspection fee

Council's inspection fee is $200, outlined in our current fees and charges.

Regular pool testing and records

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

Operators need to manage the physical, chemical and bacteriological properties in swimming pools, as their composition changes constantly. It is important that public pools and spas are regularly tested. You can read about the type and frequency of testing required in NSW Health's ​Public Swimming Pool and Spa Pool Advisory Document.

Public swimming pool operators must keep a record of daily swimming pool water chemistry testing. You can find an example of a daily log sheet on NSW Health's website.

Swimming pool water monitoring records must be kept for six months.

More information

We can help you

If you need more information about public pools and spas, please contact our Public and Environmental Health Team: