Definition … What is a public pool in Florida?

To understand how public pools are assigned to local county pool inspectors, we must first look at the definition of a public pool in Florida. A public pool in Florida is defined in Florida statute 514.011 as any pool that serves any type of cooperative housing or joint tenancy of five or more living units.

“A watertight structure of concrete, masonry, or other approved materials which is located either indoors or outdoors, used for bathing or swimming by humans, and filled with a filtered and disinfected water supply, together with buildings, appurtenances, and equipment used in connection therewith. A public swimming pool or public pool shall mean a conventional pool, spa-type pool, wading pool, special purpose pool, or water recreation attraction, to which admission may be gained with or without payment of a fee and includes, but is not limited to, pools operated by or serving camps, churches, cities, counties, day care centers, group home facilities for eight or more clients, health spas, institutions, parks, state agencies, schools, subdivisions, or the cooperative living-type projects of five or more living units, such as apartments, boardinghouses, hotels, mobile home parks, motels, recreational vehicle parks, and townhouses.

Public pools are separated into different categories. Pools that are regulated under the entire FLDOH regulatory code (Chapter 64E-9, F.A.C.) and the Florida Building Code Chapter 514 are inspected two times per year. Condominium associations with less than 32 units, though built to public pool code requirements, are not regulated by the FLDOH. Condominium associations with 32 or more units who can show through their filed condo documents that they do not rent their units less than 60 days can file for an exemption with the FLDOH. The exemption will remove some of the Chapter 64E-9, F.A.C. and Florida Building Code Chapter 514 requirements.