Recreational Health Program

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OVERVIEW

The purpose of this program is to assure that all public swimming pools, organized camps, and public recreational waters are free of safety hazards, disease, and life-threatening occurrences.

For more information, please visit the California Department of Public Health Recreational Health Program Website.

Public Swimming Pool

The Public Swimming Pool Program includes public pools, spas, spray grounds and wading pools use of the general public with or without charge, or for the use of members and guests of a private club, including any swimming pool located on the grounds of a hotel, motel, inn, an apartment complex, condo, campground, community park, resort, bed and breakfast, school, or any residential setting other than a single-family home.

The program consists of the following elements:

Routine Inspections, Permitting and Enforcement
Complaint Investigation
Review Swimming Pool Construction Plan (NEW/REMODEL).
Safety Education
California Department of Public Health Recreational Health Program – Swimming Pool Requirements.
January 01, 2023 – California Public Swimming Pools and Spas Codes
AB 1020 (2009) – The Virginia Greame Baker (VGB) Pool and Spa Safety Act to prevent suction entrapments and drownings.
Drain Cover Replacement Procedures

Current Forms and Applications:

Anti-Entrapment Devices & System for Public Pools & Spas Compliance Form 8005
Compliance Guide for Assembly Bill 1020 (Flowchart)
Drain Cover Replacement Procedures for Pools and Spas
Lifeguard Recordkeeping Checklist
Management of Fecal Accidents in Public Pools
Monthly Log Sheet
New Pool Plan Review Construction Guidelines
Pool/Spa Self-Inspection Checklist
Preventing Pool Chemical – Associated Injuries
Procedures Following Fecal Accidents
Public Pools Handrails Notice
Recreational Health Facility Closure Letter
Recreational Health Permit Application
Recreational Health Plan Review Application
Swimming Pool/Spa Remodel Guidelines

Organized Camp

Organized Camp is a site with program and facilities established for the primary purposes of providing an outdoor group living experience with social, spiritual, educational, or recreational objectives, for five days or more during one or more seasons of the year.

The program consists of the following elements:

Routine Inspections, Permitting and Enforcement
Conduct inspection of the following:

Food in the kitchen and snack bar
Swimming Pool
Housing accommodation
Review Emergency Evacuation Plans
Review Infirmary Records
Plumbing Facilities
Vector Concerns

Complaint Investigation
Review Organized Camp Plan (NEW/REMODEL)
Organized Camps not a year-round facility must submit a Letter of Intent to Operate at least 30 days prior to operation to our office.
California Department of Public Health Recreational Health Program – Organized Camp.

Current Forms and Applications:

Notice of Intent to Operate an Organized Camp
Guide to Organized Camp Documentation Requirements
Organized Camp Health Application
Organized Camp Closure Letter

Public Recreational Water

The three main lakes the Madera County residents use for recreation are Bass Lake, Hensley Lake, and Eastman Lake. Rivers, Lakes, and Streams waters are considered non-potable (not safe to drink) because of potential harmful organisms like blue-green algae and E. Coli (bacteria in the waste of animals/birds/humans). Drinking the water or water absorbed through open cuts/wounds can make people sick.

Safe practices for swimming at rivers, lakes, and streams are extremely important. During certain time of the year, sudden changes can occur in the water levels and river flows making difficult and dangerous to swim. PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS.

Blue/Green Algae

Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) and algae occur in freshwater and estuarine waterbodies. Algae and cyanobacteria have been around for billions of years and are natural components of ecosystems. They perform many roles that are vital to our aquatic communities, by being a food source and producing oxygen. However, when certain conditions are favorable for these organisms, algae and cyanobacteria can rapidly grow causing “blooms.”

Algae and cyanobacteria can produce harmful compounds, such as toxins and taste and odor compounds, that cause health risks to humans and animals. When blooms pose a risk to humans, animals, and the environment, they are referred to as harmful algal blooms (HABs). Some algae grow attached to the bottom (benthic) and can form algal mats.

See additional Recreation Water Information and Links below: