PHTA Welcomes Public Comments on a New PHTA/ICC-2 Standard for Public Pool and Spa Operations and Maintenance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2022

Media Contact:
Janay Rickwalder, CAE
Vice President, Communications
703-357-3918 | jrickwalder@phta.org

PHTA Welcomes Public Comments on a New PHTA/ICC-2 Standard for Public Pool and Spa Operations and Maintenance

(Alexandria, Va.) - The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) is inviting public review and comments on a new PHTA/ICC-2 Standard for Public Pool and Spa Operations and Maintenance. Public review is an important part of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards consensus development process.

This standard is intended to cover the operations and maintenance of public pools, spas, and other aquatic venues intended to operate with or within recreational water quality standards. Design and construction of public pools and other aquatic venues are addressed in other standards. Residential pools and other water-containing amenities not intended for swimming, bathing, or wading shall not be included in the scope of this standard.

"We felt it was important to create a modern operations and maintenance standard that is easy to access and follow," says Dennis Berkshire, PHTA-2 Standard Writing Committee (SWC) Chair and President of Aquatic Design Group. "The development of this standard has been a collaborative process involving all facets of public swimming pools and takes into consideration current technology, industry standards of care, and the expanded programs that public pools and spas are expected to support."

The PHTA/ICC-2 Standard can be used by owners and operators of public pools, spas, and aquatic venues for the operation and maintenance of all types of public aquatic venues. It is also intended to be used by state and local authorities for adoption into state and local codes and standards. Industry stakeholders such as commercial pool and spa service companies, water park operators, and public pool operators can also use this standard as the benchmark for the minimum standards to operate and maintain public aquatic venues.

PHTA invites all pool, spa, and hot tub professionals, as well as non-industry members, to review the draft and submit comments for consideration. The ANSI public review announcement on the required 45-day public review period was published in the ANSI Standards Action on February 11, 2022. All public review comments on the PHTA/ICC-2 Standard are due by March 28, 2022.

The following individuals serve as Voting Members on the PHTA-2 SWC:

• Dennis Berkshire, Chair, Aquatic Design Group (Carlsbad, CA)
• Rich Anderson, International Code Council (ICC) (Loveland, CO)
• Steve Barnes, AquaStar Pool Products (Ventura, CA)
• Lauren Broom, Space Coast Pool School (Palm Bay, FL)
• Philip Escobedo, Fluidra (Carlsbad, CA)
• Kenneth Gregory, Pentair (Washington, UT)
• Scott Heusser, Idaho Pool Remodeling (Meridian, ID)
• Joseph Laurino Ph.D., Periodic Products, Inc. (Sarasota, FL)
• John Mason, Pool School of Oregon (Bend, OR)
• Alicia Mitchell, Southern Nevada Health District (Las Vegas, NV)
• Stephen Neville, Stainless Aquatics (Del Mar, CA)
• Trevor Sherwood, Pool Operation Management (Brick, NJ)
• Graeme Thomson, Splash Inc. Ltd. (Grand Cayman, CYM)
• John Weber, BioLab, Inc. (Lawrenceville, GA)
• Edward White, Springfield Pool and Spa, Inc. (Springfield, MO)

To request an electronic copy of the draft standard for review and comment, please email standards@phta.org or call (703) 838-0083.

###

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with nearly 3,500 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge and profitability. Additionally, PHTA facilitates the expansion of swimming, water safety and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.