Decoding the MAHC

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Description

Decoding the MAHC: The Model Aquatic Health Code.

The MAHC is a free resource, based on science and best practices, to help
state and local health professionals make swimming and other water activities healthier and safer.

300 Million: Trips people in the U.S. make to pools and other swimming areas each year.

People who swim can enjoy:

• Increased physical & mental health.
• Lower risk for chronic diseases, joint & muscle pain, death.
• Increased quality of life & decreased disability in older age.

The Problem: But some places we swim aren't clean or safe. 1 in 8 Pools closed immediately on routine inspection for critical health and safety problems.

Problems can lead to:

• Drowning: A leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1-14, second only to motor vehicle crashes.
• Outbreaks: Rise in recreational water illness outbreaks: 12/year in early 1990s to 41/year in late 2000s—a single outbreak can sicken thousands.
• Chemical Injuries: Almost 5,000 people visited the ER in 2012 for an injury from a pool chemical—almost half of visits were among kids.

The Process:

• 7 years, 12 technical committees, 140 people, Input and consensus from public health, aquatics, academia.
  
• 2 rounds of public comment, 4,407 comments—Received from partners, industry, public health, and interested public.
  

14 Topic Areas:

1. Preface, user guide, glossary
2. Contamination burden
3. Disinfection/water quality
4. Facility design/construction
5. Facility maintenance/operation
6. Hygiene facilities
7. Lifeguarding/bather supervision
8. Monitoring/testing
9. Operator training
10. Regulatory
11. Risk management/safety
12. Ventilation/air quality
13. Fecal/vomit/blood contamination response
14. Recirculation/filtration

The Product: Guidelines, based on science and best practices, on how to best design, construct, operate, and maintain public pools and other aquatic facilities.

68% of local health departments regulate or inspect public swimming pools and facilities. The MAHC is NOT a federal law. It's voluntary, model guidance to help reduce the burden on state and local pool programs that individually write their own codes.

Use the MAHC:

• To update existing codes for public swimming pools and other aquatic facilities.
• To incorporate guidelines based on science and best practices into state and local aquatic programs.
• However you want: use, change, and incorporate the entire MAHC—or just pieces of it—into state or local health codes.

The Public Health Impact:

The MAHC can help:

• Prevent drowning, illness, and injury.
• Raise minimum standards and reduce inspection violations.
• Keep pools open for more summer and year-round fun.

Help make swimming healthier and safer. Learn more about The Model Aquatic Health Code.