MAHC Impact to Industry
Franceen Gonzales
vice-president
Whitewater West Industries
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Overall Benefits
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Reduce conflicts in code
Address emerging issues
Science based, identify gaps
Baseline of education
Improve health outcomes
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Reduce outbreaks
Improve drowning statistics
Reduce number of chemical injuries to employees and bathers
Impacts to Operators
 Creates consistency from State to State
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Risks are the same, so should the codes
 MAHC addresses emerging issues not addressed in local codes
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2 year review cycle incorporates new science
 May be some financial burden to comply with
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Raises the bar in operation but allows for time frame for compliance
 Health officials can reference current research to support
recommendations and act as partner to industry
Impacts on Design, Engineering, and
Construction
 One consistent code to design and build to
 Harmonized with uniform building codes to reduce conflicts
 MAHC contains design elements as they relate to public health
and safety
 Building and health departments have fewer conflicts to
resolve
MAHC Flexibility
• Wide spectrum of facilities
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Classifications of facilities
Size variations
Bather load variations
• MAHC objectives are risk
based
Trends in swimmer safety
 Increase in submersion events
 Lack of swimming skills in population
 Emergence of spray parks and shallow
water pools
 Bather loads increasing, biological
threats rising
 Chemical exposures are ever-present
 More large-scale indoor facilities
 Training level of operators varies
Lifeguard Positioning, Training Level,
and Aquatic Safety Plan
Emerging Biological Issues
• Lots of growth in municipal
spray parks and water
attractions in existing
facilities
• Bather load and human
behaviors that introduce
risk are addressed
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Diapers
Showering
Bather education
New Technologies Incorporated
• The use of ultraviolet light and ozone for disinfection
• Potential use for chemical control
Indoor Facilities
• Growth in this segment
• High bather load
environments
• Chemical byproducts
managed
Worst air
exhausted
Air
introduced
from above
Chloramines, DBPs, water borne
particulates are off-gassing near
water surface. Removing air at
this level can improve air quality.
Filtration Rates
• Filtration advances to less than 5 microns may change turnover
times.
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(red blood cells are 8 microns in size!)
• Approach is based on bather load, water volume.
Filters nearly 250,000 gallons at
1700 gpm
Reducing Chemical Exposure
 Requirement for chemical
controllers
 Require documented
operator training
 Fail safes on chemical
delivery systems
Industry Acceptance
 Industry participation encourages widespread acceptance and
compliance
 Respected and recognized industry experts involved
 Public comment encourages different perspectives
 CMAHC and 2 year cycle important to addressing risk as
innovations and new science is introduced
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