Skip to code content (skip section selection)
Compare to:
New York City Overview
The New York City Charter
The New York City Administrative Code
The Rules of the City of New York
THE RULES OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Title 1: Department of Buildings
Title 2: Board of Standards and Appeals
Title 3: Fire Department
Title 6: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
Title 9: Procurement Policy Board Rules
Title 12: Franchise and Concession Review Committee
Title 15: Department of Environmental Protection
Title 16: Department of Sanitation
Title 17: Business Integrity Commission
Title 19: Department of Finance
Title 20: Tax Appeals Tribunal
Title 21: Tax Commission
Title 22: Banking Commission
Title 24: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Title 25: Department of Mental Health and Retardation [Repealed]
Title 28: Housing Preservation and Development
Title 29: Loft Board
Title 30: Rent Guidelines Board
Title 31: Mayor's Office of Homelessness and Single Room Occupancy
Title 34: Department of Transportation
Title 35: Taxi and Limousine Commission
Title 38: Police Department
Title 38-A: Civilian Complaint Review Board
Title 39: Department of Correction
Title 40: Board of Correction
Title 41: Department of Juvenile Justice
Title 42: Department of Probation
Title 43: Mayor
Title 44: Comptroller
Title 45: Borough Presidents
Title 46: Law Department
Title 47: Commission on Human Rights
Title 48: Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)
Title 49: Department of Records and Information Services
Title 50: Community Assistance Unit
Title 51: City Clerk
Title 52: Campaign Finance Board*
Title 53: Conflicts of Interest Board
Title 55: Department of Citywide Administrative Services
Title 56: Department of Parks and Recreation
Title 57: Art Commission
Title 58: Department of Cultural Affairs
Title 60: Civil Service Commission
Title 61: Office of Collective Bargaining
Title 62: City Planning
Title 63: Landmarks Preservation Commission
Title 66: Department of Small Business Services
Title 67: Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications
Title 68: Human Resources Administration
Title 69: Department of Aging
Title 70: In Rem Foreclosure Release Board
Title 71: Voter Assistance Commission
Title 72: Office of Emergency Management
Title 73: Civic Engagement Commission
Title 74: Community Hiring
§ 165.03 Definitions.
Adequate. "Adequate" means sufficient to accomplish the purposes for which something is intended, and to such a degree that no unreasonable risk to health or safety is presented. An item installed, maintained, designed and assembled, an activity conducted or act performed, in accordance with generally accepted standards, principles or practices applicable to a particular trade, business, occupation or profession, is adequate within the meaning of this Article.
Aquatic supervisory staff. "Aquatic supervisory staff" means an individual possessing the qualifications of Supervision Level II, Supervision Level III, or a supervising lifeguard having Level II qualifications, as provided in 24 RCNY Health Code § 165.15(b).
Bathing establishment. "Bathing establishment" means every indoor or outdoor place where:
   (1)   there is a swimming, wading, spa, or special purpose pool,
   (2)   there is a sauna or steam room with or without a pool, or
   (3)   there is a spray ground with or without a pool, sauna or steam room.
Building Code. "Building Code" means the Building Code of the City of New York.
Combined chlorine. "Combined chlorine" means the part of the total chlorine existing in water in chemical combination with ammonia, nitrogen, or organic compounds, mostly comprised of chloramines. Combined chlorine plus free chlorine equals total chlorine. Combine chlorine is calculated from the results of measuring the free and total chlorine with an appropriate test kit.
Cross connection. "Cross connection" means a physical connection between the potable water system and a non-potable source such as a pool, or physical connection between a bathing establishment water and the sanitary sewer or waste water disposal system such that non-potable water may flow into the potable water system.
Deep water or deep end. "Deep water or deep end" means those areas of a swimming pool where water is more than five feet deep.
Fill and draw pool. "Fill and draw pool" means a pool having no recirculation system. It has as the primary manner of cleaning the complete removal and disposal of the used water and replacement with water at periodic intervals. Public use of a fill and draw pool is prohibited.
Foot Shower. "Foot shower" means a shower head and similar water feature for use in rinsing debris from patrons' feet.
Major alteration, renovation or addition. "Major alteration, renovation or addition" means substantial physical change to the bathing establishment, shape, structure, enclosure, electrical system or other appurtenances, or to the water disinfection or recirculation system, or to the waste water system. It does not include replacement of equipment or piping previously approved by the Department provided that the type of and size of the equipment are not changed, nor does it include normal maintenance or repair.
mg/l. "mg/l" means milligrams per liter and is equivalent to parts per million (ppm).
Movable-bottom pool. "Movable-bottom pool" means a pool with a hydraulic lift arrangement for floor movement and a jet water self-cleaning system, or a movable panel to provide access for a robotic vacuum.
N.S.F. "N.S.F." means National Sanitary Foundation.
Physical-therapy pool. "Physical-therapy pool" means a pool not intended for swimming or instruction in swimming. A "physical-therapy pool" is medically administered and specifically designed and constructed for hydro-therapy, medical treatment, physical or muscle relaxation, or reserved for use by persons with physical disabilities or other special purposes deemed appropriate by the Department.
Pool. "Pool" means an artificial basin, tank, or chamber constructed of concrete, masonry, metal, or other impervious material which contains water and is operated for the purpose of bathing, wading, swimming, diving, water recreation, or therapy. This does not include bath tubs which are drained between uses.
Pool operator. "Pool operator" means an individual possessing a current certification of the successful completion of an adequate course of instruction, as determined by the Department, regarding the safe and effective operation and maintenance of pool treatment equipment.
Recirculation. "Recirculation" means the pump, piping, filtration system, chemical feed systems and accessories provided for treating the pool and/or spray pad water to meet the water quality standards in these rules.
Responsible person. "Responsible person" means a competent individual, at least 18 years of age, employed by the owner or operator of the bathing establishment, who shall be present at the bathing area at all times when the facility is officially open and who exercises control over the patrons, is trained in the use of lifesaving and safety equipment, and emergency procedures and the pool safety plan.
Shallow water or shallow end. "Shallow water or shallow end" means those areas of a swimming pool where the water is 5 feet deep or less.
Spa pool. "Spa pool" means a pool, primarily designed for therapeutic use or relaxation, which is normally not drained, cleaned or refilled for each individual. It may include, but is not limited to, hydrojet circulation, hot water, cold water, mineral bath, air induction, bubbles or any combination thereof. Spa pools shall have a maximum water depth of 4 feet at any point and may be equipped with aquatic seats within the perimeter of the pool. A "Spa pool" shall not be used for swimming or diving. "Spa Pool" means and includes "hydrotherapy pool," "whirlpool," "hot spa," or "hot tub."
Spray Pad. "Spray pad" means a specific area consisting of a play surface, spray features, and drains, upon which the bathers stand and are sprayed with water.
Spray Ground(s). "Spray Ground(s)" means an artificially created water jet, features or stream where water is sprayed from a structure or the ground in conjunction with a spray pad in which sprayed water is drained, collected, treated and re-circulated back for reuse purposes.
Spray Features. "Spray features" means the devices and plumbing used to convey the treated water to the spray pad to spray the patrons.
Spray Pad Treatment System. "Spray Pad Treatment System" means the equipment and processes used to filter, disinfect and circulate the water used for the spray pad and spray features.
Spray Pad Treatment Tank. "Spray Pad Treatment Tank" means the vessel to collect the water that has been sprayed on the spray pad and returned through the spray pad drains.
Superchlorination. "Superchlorination" means the addition of a sufficient amount of chlorinating compound to pool water and/or spray pad treatment tank water to remove combined chlorine (chlorine that has reacted with nitrogenous compounds) or destroy unwanted organisms in the pool water and/or spray pad treatment tank water. Generally the level of chlorine added is ten times the level of combined chlorine in the pool water and/or spray pad treatment tank water (in units of ml/l or ppm). Treatment of pool water and spray pad treatment tank water with non-chlorine chemicals to eliminate or suppress combined chlorine is not superchlorination.
Supervisory Staff. "Supervisory Staff " means an individual or individuals responsible for supervising bathers and monitoring the spray ground to ensure compliance with regulations for use, and who is familiar with its equipment and is trained in the operation and maintenance of the spray pad treatment system.
Swimming pool. "Swimming pool" means a pool of three foot depth or greater, designed to be used primarily for swimming or other recreation. This includes white-water slide, wave and movable bottom pools.
Turnover period. "Turnover period" means the time required to recirculate a volume of water equivalent to the water volume of the pool through the filtration system.
Wading pool. "Wading pool" means a pool intended to be used for wading by young children for general recreation or training and has a maximum water depth of 24 inches at any point.
Wave pool. "Wave pool" means a pool of special shape and design, with water-wave making machinery.
White-water slide. "White-water slide" means a facility consisting of a starting platform, one or more flumes, and a plunge pool.