Question - Kiddie Pools??

[Hunni Bee]

As some of you know, I'm at a center. Anyway, we have "Splash Days" once a week throughout the summer. The kids 3 and up go to the local pool, while the littles are supposed to have it at the center. We are planning on buying a large kiddie pool for them, but a parent told us that we are now required to chlorinate the water because its unsanitary for kids that little to share regular tap water.

We require all potty-training kids to wear Little Swimmers in order to get in the water.

I haven't heard this. I can see why something like that might be required, and we have the chlorine test strips that we use to test our sanitizing water. I just wondered had anybody else heard of this...

[MamaJ]

that's not required for here in MI (i'm not a center, just residential). Pools just must be clean and free of debris, emptied and cleaned after each play period or immediately if contaminated....and must be empty when not in use.

[SilverSabre25]

Best thing to do is going to be to call the licensing agency and ask them...seems like if something like that had gone into effect, you would have been notified.

[spud912]

Originally Posted by Hunni Bee

I haven't heard this. I can see why something like that might be required, and we have the chlorine test strips that we use to test our sanitizing water. I just wondered had anybody else heard of this...

The chlorine test strips you use for the sanitizing water only test higher concentrations of chlorine. For pool water, you would want significantly less chlorine to prevent skin and eye reactions (which would be undetectable on the test strips you have). The test strips will change color at approximately 25 ppm, whereas bodies of swimming water should have chlorine concentrations of 1 to 5 ppm. The test kits that detect that amount of chlorine are only available where pool supplies are sold.

As far as whether to chlorinate the water or not, I would follow the pp's advice and speak to your licensing agency.

[countrymom]

if you are emptying it after use then I see no need for chlorine, obviously if the pool gets dirty you would clean it.

[DBug]

Totally depends on licensing. At the center I worked at, we had to chlorinate the water in the indoor water table .

[Cat Herder]

It is definitely based on each States rules and regs.

I prefer sprinklers for this reason.

I do occasionally fill the little resin pools and add baby wash to make bubbles (especially on spaghetti day).

I am required to have the kids in swim diapers and empty it immediately after use, though.

[Country Kids]

We are allowed no kiddie pools of any kind Very irratating especially when it get very, very hot here at times. It seems its either rainy or hot! If we do have any type of pool it has to be behind a 6 or 8 foot fence and childproof lock. Then if we allow the dcks to use it wehave to have the health dept. come out and put it through all the regs. for a public pool. Once it passes that we can use it with the dcks. Scary thing is then you are certified as having a public pool and I can so see someone carrying to far as saying they would have the right to use it.

They are so strict here that one time the little turtle sandbox wasn't filled yet with sand. Licensing was here and became all conserned that I was going to use it as a wading pool! I had to explain I hadn't bought the sand yet but I think they actually made me put it up till I bought it.

[MarinaVanessa]

Originally Posted by DBug

Totally depends on licensing. At the center I worked at, we had to chlorinate the water in the indoor water table .

Wow, and I thought CA was bad. Seems a little excessive to me.

[familyschoolcare]

Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa

Wow, and I thought CA was bad. Seems a little excessive to me.

Not sure if it is because of the children's safety or about mosquito population reduction. The lady giving the origination implied that the law did not come down form child care licensing. But still.