fit for the future! Wilfred Reinhold 6th International Conference - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A new bathing water regulation in the Netherlands – fit for the future! Wilfred Reinhold 6th International Conference on Swimming Pool and Spa 19 March 2015

Current regulation • Dates from 1969 • Old standards for chemical, physical and microbiological water quality • Requirements for pool operation such as – capacity of the pumps – filter backwash procedure and frequency – volume of supplement/dilution water (30 liters of drinking water / bather / day) • Aim of regulation: achievement of a safe and healthy swimming pool environment through strict requirements • ±1500 public and semi-public swimming pools in the Netherlands 2 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Towards a new regulation From strict requirements  towards regulation that specifies that the swimming pool environment should be safe and healthy for its users,  regardless of the way pool operators achieve this goal Pool managers and operators get opportunity and responsibility  to make their own choices in how to achieve this goal  accommodates innovation & application of novel technologies. 3 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Consultation of local & provincial authorities and the public • Draft texts and reports published on www.internetconsulatie.nl • Period: September - November 2014 • >20 persons/organisations submitted comments • From short to quite long comments (dozens of pages) • In total: comments on nearly 300 aspects of the regulation • At this moment: finishing the processing of the commentary • Comments lead to changes in details, not in the structure of the proposed regulation 4 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment –

Duty of care Section 3 • Operator shall ensure that hygiene and safety in the swimming pool environment is sufficiently ensured • If operator knows / should suspect the bathing complex can cause adverse effects on hygiene / safety of visitors , he must take measures to prevent / limit those effects 5 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

New parametric values for water and air Section 4 to 6 + Annex I Class I Class II Class III Free Available Bromate : ≤50 µg/l Available bound Chlorine: 1.0±0.5 chlorine : ≤0.6 mg/l Acidity (pH):7.30±0.30 Sum Trihalomethanes (as CHCl 3 ) : ≤50 µg/l Chlorate : ≤30 mg/l Transparency: floor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ≤0/100 Urea : ≤2.0 mg/l pool Legionella: <100 cfu/l Intestinal enterococci : ≤0/100 Nitrate : ≤50 mg/l Spores of sulfitereducing Clostridia (SSRC): Hydrogen carbonate: ≤0/100 ≥40 mg/l Staphylococcus aureus : ≤0/100 Chloride: ≤800 mg/l KMnO4 – consumption : ≤3.0 mg/l O2 Turbidity : ≤0.50 FTE Trichloramines: ≤0.50 mg/m3 air Ozone : ≤120 ug/m3 1-hour air 6 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Risk analysis: Not entirely new • Operators already have experience in Risk analysis and management of legionella + Risk assessment and evaluation based on Health and Safety legislation + HACCP based on Consumer Legislation • Some operators have already decided for such an approach (responsibility , corporate culture, savings ) 7 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Risk analysis + management plan + measures Section 7 + Annex II • Pool managers analyses the apparent/ expected risks for health/safety of the users of the pool environment • Document the used method and results • Description of the measures to be taken • Attention for risk of Legionella • Carry out the management plan • Keep risk analysis+management plan up to date! • Save documents and results for inspection • Law enforcer must be able to inspect them 8 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Risk analysis Risk model = guideline Operator should take into account aspects such as: • design, operation and maintenance of technical installations • risk of drowning or suction trapment • risk of microbiological contamination of the water • prevention of overdose of chemicals • risk of malfunctioning of (parts of) the technical installation • health and safety aspects (such as slippery floors) • number and type of visitors (age, swimming skills, vulnerable groups) 9 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Special basins Section 8 to 13 (+ Annex III Swimming Ponds) • Shallow basins (≤ 50 cm) • Swimming Ponds (biological cleaning method) • Floating tanks (addition of magnesium sulphate or other salts in water) • Basins for single use by one person • Fish spas • Flowed through basins (water is constantly discharged; discharged water does not return) • Special parametric values/monitoring requirements • Special aspects for risk analysis and management 10 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

Implementation & effects Additional cost for pools: • Analysing water & air: € 1060-2692 /yr • Risk Analysis: avg. € 2412 euro • Resulting measures RA: avg. € 240 • Extra time control: avg. 95 euro Financial benefits : May be present but unquantifiable Possible environmental impact : New approach could lead to reduced use of water, energy and chemicals in the (near) future. • It is planned that the new regulation will come into force in January 2016 11

Thank you for your attention! 12