Swimming & Pool Safety

Information for Pool Operators / Owners

• Check water clarity often.
• Allow swimming only in clear water.

Prevent Loss Of Life

Every year children drown in pools. They may drown because of a momentary lapse in supervision, or even under good supervision they may drown due to murky pool water that appears safe.

A lifeguard or person outside the pool needs to be able to see under water. When children drown, they slip silently under the water. They don't scream, holler or raise a commotion the way it's portrayed in the movies.

Pool operators must make sure to routinely check the pool for water clarity. In Region of Waterloo, a regulated pool facility must be closed when the black disc is not clearly visible from any point on the deck that's nine meters (30 feet) away from the disc.

Pool operators must comply with the law and close the pool until all bathers can be clearly seen.

Pool Disk

• Prevent accidents by monitoring water clarity in your pool.
• Close the pool if you cannot clearly see the black disc.

Every pool owner/operator must ensure there is a black disc of 150mm in diameter on a white background that must be affixed to the bottom of the pool at the deepest point to help check pool clarity.

Check routinely throughout the day especially when there are many people in the pool.

• If you can clearly see the disc, pool clarity is good.
• If you can barely see the disc, pool clarity is a problem and you must take corrective action.
• If you can't see the disc, close the pool.

Learn more about how you can prevent drowning at the Lifesaving Society website

Common Causes of Murky and Cloudy Water and Practical Solutions

Some of the information here was partially adapted with permission from the Washington State Department of Health.