Update on pool legislation

A bill aimed at updating the legislation regarding the specifics and inspections of public and private swimming pools is expected to be presented in the public parliament chamber. This decision was discussed at a meeting of the internal affairs committee on Thursday.

During a session of the parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs, committee members demanded that the bill be presented to parliament by the end of the year. It is worth noting that earlier, MP Yedeka Elias Mirianthos proposed a bill on the same issue in 2019. Currently, the legal services are reviewing this bill, which categorizes pools into three main categories: the first category includes pools located in water parks, the second pertains to hotel and tourist accommodation pools, and the third includes all other pools, excluding those serving more than five residential units.

Depending on the category of these pools, construction permits and periodic inspections will be required. Pools in the first two categories will be regularly checked for safety and hygiene, while pools in the third category will only be inspected for sampling. Additionally, the first two categories will require the presence of lifeguards for supervision.

The Vice Chair of the committee, AKEL deputy Marina Nikolaou, stated after the meeting that the preparation of the bill is complete, emphasizing that the current legislation, approved in 1992, is outdated.“Modernizing the legislation is the right step in the right direction,” she said.

Deputy Edeka Elias Mirianthus strongly urged to present the bill in parliament and vote on it before the summer season. He added that the current legislation regulating pools is outdated, despite the EU's regulations on this matter.“It is urgent to change the regulatory framework regarding swimming pools, especially in terms of safety, water quality, and usage,” he said.

Editor’s comments:

According to the current law on swimming pools in Cyprus, public pools include pools in buildings used by their owners or tenants. According to Regulation No. 368/96, all workers on a pool construction site or involved in its operation must have a medical certificate, be clean, and be good people.

Clause 47(2) of Regulation No. 368/96 states that all trained lifeguards must be on duty during the operation and use of the pool. Their number is determined based on the size of the pool and the number of people typically using it. According to clause 47(2)(a)(i) of Regulation No. 368/96, at least one trained lifeguard is required for small pools. Clause 53 of Section VII of Regulation No. 368/96 states that a license is required to operate a pool, which can be obtained by contacting the relevant authority. The final decision is made by the minister.