Harrison County, Ohio

Swimming Pools and Spas

Rules for public swimming pools or spas in Ohio establish minimum standards, applicable throughout Ohio, for the design, installation, operation and maintenance of these facilities in order to protect the bathing public from injury, minimize the potential for disease transmission and provide a safe and healthy aquatic recreational environment.

Public swimming pools, spas and special use pools are regulated under the authority of Chapter 3749 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and Chapter 3701‐31 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).

These rules were created to establish minimum standards, applicable throughout Ohio, for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of these facilities in order to protect the bathing public from injury, minimize the potential for disease transmission, and provide a safe and healthy aquatic recreational environment. These rules do not pertain to private residential pools.

A public swimming pool collectively means a
•Public Swimming Pool
•Public Spa
•Special Use Pool
•Wading Pool
•Spray Ground

Public swimming pool vs. private residential pool?

A public swimming pool is defined as any indoor or outdoor structure, chamber, or tank containing a body of water that is intended to be used collectively for swimming, diving, or bathing.

A private residential pool is one located at a dwelling housing no more than three families and used exclusively by the residents and their non‐paying guests.

Services provided by the Harrison County Health Department:
•Technical assistance and training on the construction, operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and evaluation of public swimming pools
•Review of engineered plans that have been designed to meet all of the requirements found within 3701‐31 of the OAC
•Inspections during the construction process to ensure that the pool is installed per the rules and approved plans
•Guidance to staff for the implementation of the public swimming pool/spa/special use pool regulatory program
•Resource for the general public relative to aquatic recreation issues, protection from disease transmission, personal safety, and complaint investigations