Newsroom for the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)

Title: What Do CSTE Members Need to Know About CDC's Updated Pool Code Guidance? (September 2016)
Summary: CDC's Michael Beach and Jasen Kunz explain three things CSTE members should know about the MAHC & supplemental materials that were updated in July.

Title: Updated Model Aquatic Health Code Now Available (August 2016)
Summary: The second edition of the MAHC, which includes important updates to the first edition that was released in 2014, is now available from the CDC.

Title: Keeping Cool in the Pool (July 2016)
Summary: With the release of 2016 MAHC, CDC is taking steps to ensure the public is safe in swimming pools and other water venues.

Title: Second MAHC Edition Released (July 2016)
Summary: The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) announced that CDC released the 2016 MAHC on July 15. This second edition includes important updates to the first edition, which was released in 2014.

Title: MAHC Second Edition Released (July 2016)
Summary: The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) has announced that CDC has released an updated second edition of the MAHC — the 2016 MAHC. The initial version was published in 2014.

Title: CMAHC Announces Release of the Second MAHC Edition (July 2016)
Summary: The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) announced today that CDC released the 2016 MAHC on July 15, 2016. This second edition of the MAHC includes important updates to the first edition released in 2014.

Title: Smooth Sailing: Best Practices in Pool Maintenance and Renovation (July 2016)
Summary: Aquatic facility operators, manufacturers, and staff should consider best practices in pool maintenance and renovation.

Title: Update from the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (and why you should join).[PDF - 2 pages] (May 2016)
Summary: In this column, Douglas Sackett, Executive Director of the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC), discusses how the MAHC was developed to promote healthy and safe swimming, the first Vote on the Code conference, and planning for the next MAHC update cycle.

Title: CDC Issues New Model Aquatic Health Code (August 2016)
Summary: The second edition of the Model Aquatic Health Code has been released and includes a variety of changes, from minor to substantial.

Title: Secondary Sanitation Required in Delaware (January 2016)
Summary: Among several changes to its commercial-pool code, Delaware will require a form of secondary sanitation in certain pools as of Jan. 2, 2016. The updated pool and spa code will require such systems on wading pools, treatment pools, spray pads and vessels designated to serve the differently abled. The requirements apply to new construction and renovations.

Title: CMAHC welcomes eight new sponsors (September 29, 2015)
Summary: Organizations made donations to sustain the Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: CMAHC Welcomes Eight New Sponsors (September 24, 2015)
Summary: Leading organizations make substantial donations to sustain the Model Aquatic Health Code, striving for a higher aquatic health and safety standard.

Title: Update on MAHC Meeting (September 30, 2015)
Summary: As the Model Aquatic Health Code undergoes its first revision, the committee charged with shepherding its development has made some changes to the development process and announced logistics for streaming of its October meeting.

Title: Group to Meet for MAHC Update (September 2, 2015)
Summary: The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code will take a vote among its members to determine which of the more than 150 proposed changes to adopt in the second edition. Before that, the group, which aids the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by shepherding the continual improvement of the first federal aquatics standard, will meet in October to discuss the revision requests.

Title: Model Aquatic Health Code to Undergo First Revision (September 1, 2015)
Summary: After receiving more than 150 requests for revisions, the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code will take a vote among its members to help determine which changes will be implemented.

Title: Problems at relatively new Smith pool persist (August 24, 2015)
Summary: Five years after opening, an aquatics facility is closed as it undergoes renovations and repairs.

Title: CDC report outbreaks caused by diarrhea parasite in public pools, hot tubs (June 29, 2015)
Summary: People who swim are happier and healthier, but many public pools in the country may be dangerous. A parasite called Cryptosporidium, which is linked to diarrhea, killed a person and hospitalized more than 1,700 people in 32 states for the years 2011 to 2012.

Title: Parasites immune to water treatment may still be lurking in pools (June 29, 2015)
Summary: Summer season has officially started and with this, pools and even hot tubs owners are starting to open their doors to the public. However, before you jump into the inviting water, a new report states that parasites are now immune to water treatment methods and can be the main cause for the wide-spread of swimming pool contamination incidents in the country.

Title: More treated pools and hot tubs are contaminated with parasites, and infecting people (June 27, 2015)
Summary: Pools and hot tubs have always been known to be epicenters of infection. Despite the many attempts to kill bacteria and other assorted germs with chemicals like chlorine, certain unsanitary practices (like peeing in the pool, for instance) may undermine treatment methods and spread disease. But does that mean we should refrain from swimming altogether?

Title: Almost 1800 sickened: It's summer (up north), but beware the water (June 26, 2015)
Summary: Outbreaks of illness associated with recreational water use result from exposure to chemicals or infectious pathogens in recreational water venues that are treated (e.g., pools and hot tubs or spas) or untreated (e.g., lakes and oceans).

Title: Swimming pool, hot tub water contamination increasing in the US (June 25, 2015)
Summary: Outbreaks of illness in pools, hot tubs and lakes throughout the United States have been increasing in recent years as a result of a parasite called Cryptosporidium.

Title: Hlavsa MC, Kunz JM, Beach MJ. It’s all about the return on investment: the model aquatic health code.[PDF - 2 pages] J Environ Hlth. 2015;77:34-35. (May 2015)
Summary: Now that the MAHC has been released, tracking the code’s impact is vital to its long-term success. In this column, CDC authors Michele Hlavsa, Jasen Kunz, and Michael Beach discuss tracking the MAHC’s impact in key areas with the top five public pool states and how the MAHC will be updated in the future. This article was published in the May 2015 issue of the Journal of Environmental Health.[PDF - 1 page]

Title: CMAHC Announces Voting Is Open on MAHC Changes (December 20, 2015)
Summary: The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) announced that voting on the 159 Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) Change Requests (CRs) is open for members through Dec. 20, 2015.

Title: NACCHO Recommends Best Practices for Recreational Water Venues (March 2015)
Summary: NACCHO, in a policy statement on recreational water safety, asserts that when public health resources are used to support water safety, preventable illness and injury can be decreased.

Title: Healthy and Safe Swimming Week Provides Local Health Departments with Tools to Kick off Summer (May 19, 2015)
Summary: Local health departments are charged with keeping their communities protected through public swimming venue inspections, and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awareness initiative provides them with the tools and resources to do so effectively.

Title: Statement of Policy 15-01; Recreational Water Safety[PDF - 4 pages] (February 25, 2015)
Summary: Calls for an Increased Focus on Improved Recreational Water Safety

NACCHO, the national organization representing local public health departments across the United States, released a new policy statement calling for a renewed focus on improving recreational water safety. The statement emphasizes the importance of pool inspection and other recreational water safety activities and specifically mentions the Model Aquatic Health Code as a tool health departments can use to decrease waterborne injury and illness while promoting healthy swimming.

Title: While the Weather Outside is Frightful, Plan for Pools that are Delightful: Explore the Model Aquatic Health Code (January 6, 2015)
Summary: This winter is a great time for communities to get ready for the summer swim season with the first edition of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC). The code is a valuable resource for states and localities committed to reducing health risks by updating or creating pool codes based on the latest science.

Title: The First Edition of the Model Aquatic Health Code Is Now Available: What’s Next?[PDF - 3 pages] (December 2014)
Summary: Authors Jason Kunz and Michael Beach describe the expected implementation impact of the Model Aquatic Health Code and the plan for keeping the code current and relevant.

Title: Update on the Model Aquatic Health Code[PDF - 3 pages] (May 2014)
Summary: Author Rob Blake discusses the proposed operational guidelines for the Model Aquatic Health Code and progress to date.

Title: A Decade after CSTE’s Call to Action, a New Voluntary Model Health Code Launches (October 2014)
Summary: What began with strong surveillance and epidemiologic data supporting a CSTE position statement has spurred a national, multidisciplinary model pool code development process, a multi-thousand-person public dialogue, and the creation of a new non-profit organization to ensure the model code remains up to date. By Douglas Sackett, executive director of the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: A Model Aquatic Health Code for Healthy Pools (September 2014)
Summary: At the request of local and state health departments, and the aquatics industry, CDC led a national effort to develop the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

Title: CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code, First Edition (September 2014)
Summary: The first edition of the Model Aquatic Health Code was released on August 29, 2014, and is now available from CDC.

Title: CDC Issues Guidance to Improve Health and Safety at Public Pools (August 2014)
Summary: CDC advisory to media on the launch of the Model Aquatic Health Code 1st Edition.

Title: Model Aquatic Health Code Update (July/August 2014)
Summary: Author Dale McFarland, General Manager of the KeyLime Cove Water Resort, discusses the upcoming MAHC First Edition due for release this summer. Note: Click "skip" on the next page; there is no need to sign in.

Title: How ‘Bout that MAHC (October 2014)
Summary: The MAHC will help us all to kick it up a notch at our aquatic facilities, whether they are brand new, or old and out of date. Most of all, it will assist those states and municipalities that have been without adequate and up to date pool codes.

Title: MAHC Released (October 2014) See page 11 of the online publication for more information.
Summary: After seven years in the making, the first edition of the Model Aquatic Health Code has been released.

Title: The MAHC is Now Available (September 2014)
Summary: Nearly 10 years in the making, the first federal Model Aquatic Heath Code has been officially released.

Title: As MAHC Moves Forward, A Look Back (May 2014)
Summary: After nearly 10 years, the first comprehensive version of the Model Aquatic Health Code is almost complete.

Title: Blind Spot (March 2014)
Summary: Article discussing why HMAC aquatics facilities are giving the industry a bad name and what can be done to change it.

Title: Federal Model Code Hits Final Stretch (March 2014)
Summary: Article discussing the remaining steps in development and release of the full MAHC in 2014.

Title: Public Comments Being Taken for MAHC (March 2014)
Summary: The Model Aquatic Health Code, the federally created health and safety code covering all areas of public pools and aquatics facilities, from water chemistry to lifeguard training, is up for public comment for the last time.

Title: This Month’s Feature Profile in Public Health Law: Interview with Robert G. Blake (May 2014)
Summary: Robert Blake, CDC health scientist, discusses his role in the development of the Model Aquatic Health Code and its impact on public health.

Title: Progress on the Model Aquatic Health Code (March 2014)
Summary: Article previewing the release of the first full draft of the MAHC and its effects on aquatic facility operators.

Title: Healthy and Safe Swimming: Pool Chemical–Associated Health Events[PDF - 3 pages] (May 2013)
Summary: Column discussing prevention of health events associated with pool chemicals. The article includes examples of pool chemical posters as well as information on how the MAHC can be a beneficial tool in preventing accidents involved with pool chemicals.

Title: Clearing Up Something About the MAHC (May 2013)
Summary: A blog post discussing the concept of a “model code” and what it means for those considering adopting it.

Title: It's Time to Adopt the CDC Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) for Pools and Hot Tubs (September 2012)
Summary: A blog post showcasing the importance of the Model Aquatic Health Code for local and state agencies.

Title: What’s the Latest on the CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)? (August 2012)
Summary: A blog post announcing three MAHC modules open for public comment and detailing the MAHC development process and upcoming events.

Title: Bringing Science to the Poolside - NPHIC News, page 10 (September-October 2012)
Summary: An article introducing the Model Aquatic Health Code and describing its goals, development process, and what it can achieve.

Title: Don’t Tread Water, Make a Splash: Promoting Public Health and Safety Through the Model Aquatic Health Code (August 2012)
Summary: A blog post highlighting the history, organization, and goals of the Model Aquatic Health Code, as well as the development process and incorporation of public comments.

Title: Wading Through the Rules (July 2012)
Summary: A summary of the four initiatives currently shaping the aquatics sector including the 1) Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), 2) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance, 3) Energy-Efficient Codes, 4) The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (VGB).

Title: Will MAHC Kill Competitive Swimming? (October 2012)
Summary: Concern has arisen over a provision in one section of the Model Aquatic Health Code that’s now up for public comment.

Title: Key MAHC Modules Up for Review (October 2012)
Summary: Individuals from across the industry have been working with experts at the Centers for Disease Control to develop a Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: Agencies Sign Code Agreement (July 2012)
Summary: The National Environmental Health Association, the International Code Council, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance collaboration and recognize the co-existence of the International Swimming Pool & Spa Code and the Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: Tools of the Trade (June 2012)
Summary: Operators are the heart of any aquatics facility.

Title: Access for All (June 2012)
Summary: With the recent spate of government regulations and codes — VGB, ADA, MAHC, ISPSC — the aquatics industry has just about had it with the feds.

Title: MAHC Proposes CYA Restriction (May 2012)
Summary: The recommendation in the latest working draft of the MAHC to recommend cyanuric acid (CYA) only in outdoor pools has caused concern among some in the aquatics industry.

Title: Federal Mandates (May 2012)
Summary: A look at 2012 laws, regulations and guidelines. What you need to know to operate an aquatics facility this season.

Title: RISK MANAGEMENT Safety Factors, The chair of the MAHC Risk Management/Safety Module explains what went into its development and how it might affect you (March 2012)
Summary: Discussion on the MAHC Risk Management Module by MAHC Technical Chairperson Amy Duck.

Title: Safety Factors (March 2012)
Summary: In April 2009, a committee was formed to develop the Risk Management/Safety Module for the CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: Built on Evidence (January 2012)
Summary: The goal of the Model Aquatic Health Code is to codify scientifically proven data in the aquatics industry.

Title: Chuck Neuman (January 2012)
Summary: From the time he started his first business, a pool construction company, in 1973, Chuck Neuman has never been afraid to dig into a new project.

Title: 2011 Industry News (January 2012)
Summary: Embattled red cross launches a new guard program.

Title: International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials to Work With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Ensure Swimming Pool Safety[PDF - 1 page] (May 2012)
Summary: The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have signed a Memorandum of Intent to strengthen understanding and eliminate conflicts between CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) and IAPMO’s Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code® (USPSHTC).
 

Title: ICC, CDC and NEHA Unite to Enhance Public Safety (May 2012)
Summary: Representatives from the International Code Council, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Environmental Health Association have entered into a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance the safety of aquatic facilities.

Title: Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) and International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC)[PDF - 4 pages] (May 2012)
Summary: Discussion of the partnership interactions between the MAHC and the ICC Building Code.

Title: California Operator Certification Bill Advances (May 2012)
Summary: Discusses California Assembly Bill 1726[PDF - 6 pages], which has used the MAHC Operator Training module to craft a bill to require qualified operators with operator training at public pools in California. The Bill was moved out of the Health Committee and has still to be voted on in the House and Senate.

Title: All Together Now: New Code Aims at Standards for Nation’s Pools (Jan 2012)
Summary: An in-depth look at the inception of the MAHC and its subsequent progress; includes quotes from various MAHC committee members.

Title: Model Aquatic Health Code Promotes Safe Swimming and Pools[PDF - 1 page] (May 2011)
Summary: Description of the MAHC and explanation of its many benefits to local boards of health.

Title: Healthy Swimming and Recreational Waters (Spring 2011)
Summary: NEHA encouraging members to review and comment on the MAHC modules.

Title: Non-Profit, Leading Education and Research Organization, National Swimming Pool Foundation, Endorses First Module of Model Aquatic Health Code[PDF - 3 pages] (May 2011)
Summary: The board of directors for the leading pool/spa/education and research organization, non-profit National Swimming Pool Foundation®, voted to endorse the first module of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), entitled "Operator Training".

Title: MAHC Moving Forward (November 2011)
Summary: Those charged with developing the Model Aquatic Health Code anticipate that all but three modules are likely to be ready for public comment by the end of the year.

Title: MAHC Module Up for Public Comment (June 2011)
Summary: Individuals from across the industry have been working with experts at the Centers for Disease Control to develop a Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: Nothing But Air (June 2011)
Summary: Have you ever calculated how much urine and sweat are in the average pool? The number might surprise you

Title: Training Required (March 2011)
Summary: Are you a certified operator? Does your facility have one on staff? If not, you may be running afoul of the first set of MAHC guidelines.

Title: Up to Code (March 2011)
Summary: Have you ever worked at a public pool and felt a degree of panic not knowing if your pool was in compliance with the requirements of public health code?

Title: Viewpoint: Training Required (March 2011)
Summary: Are you a certified operator? Does your facility have one on staff? If not, you may be running afoul of the first set of MAHC guidelines.
Note: The current version of the MAHC Operator Training Module does not include a specified length of time required for an operator training course.

Title: Keepers of the Code (February 2011)
Summary: The Model Aquatic Health Code is coming.

Title: 2011 POWER 25: Keepers of the Code (February 2011)
Summary: Get to know the professionals leading the creation of CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

Title: Capt. Charles Otto III (February 2011)
Summary: He hasn’t found a cure for cancer or put an end to the common cold, but the United States is a healthier nation thanks to Capt. Charles Otto III, U.S. Public Health Service.

Title: Power 25: Doug Sackett (February 2011)
Summary: Doug Sackett has worked in aquatics since he came to the New York State Health Department more than 30 years ago, and in that time he’s been responsible for a lot. But not even an investigation of a major 2005 crypto outbreak that has resulted in the industry’s first class action lawsuit compares with his work overseeing the Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: Michael Beach, Ph.D. (February 2011)
Summary: Anyone in aquatics who doesn’t already know the name Dr. Michael Beach soon will. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s associate director for healthy water, Beach is one of the nation’s foremost experts on recreational water illnesses.

Title: Joe Hunsaker (February 2011)
Summary: Joe Hunsaker has spent a lifetime making his mark in aquatics, first as a national level competitive swimmer, and later as a founder of one of the nation’s leading aquatic design firms, Counsilman-Hunsaker.

Title: Frank Guido (February 2011)
Summary: As assistant Commissioner at the Westchester County (N.Y.) Bureau of Public Health Protection, Frank Guido was responsible for 600 public pools and more than 40 public bathing beaches.

Title: Colleen Maitoza (February 2011)
Summary: You won’t find many environmental health professionals as dedicated to aquatics as Colleen Maitoza.

Title: Franceen Gonzales (February 2011)
Summary: Franceen Gonzales was proud when Great Wolf Lodge opened in Mason, Ohio, in 2006. She was the corporate director of aquatics at Madison, Wis.-based Great Wolf Resorts, overseeing operations and maintenance of the company’s nine waterparks.

Title: Lee Tate (February 2011)
Summary: Lee Tate may have retired from his job as an environmental engineer for the state of Georgia, but he’s not relaxing in a rocking chair or hitting the golf course just yet.

Title: Sung Choe (February 2011)
Summary: Until Sung Choe became part of the recreational water program at NSF International in 2004, he had very little to do with aquatics.

Title: Bob Vincent (February 2011)
Summary: There are approximately 38,000 public pools in Florida, and Bob Vincent is one man overseeing them all.

Title: Hero with a Thousand Faces (February 2011)
Summary: Our Power 25 issue is full of examples of people who are giving of themselves in a benevolent fashion. They are the men and women who have taken on the mighty task of crafting the Model Aquatic Health Code.

Title: John Linn (February 2011)
Summary: Just as Walt Disney was the man behind the mouse, you might say John Linn is the man behind the whale.

Title: Disney Experts Help Establish National Pool Safety Code (March 2011)
Summary: Two Disney employees, Amy Duck and Michael Beatty, have joined the MAHC effort to offer their expertise and insight.

Title: Model Health Code Making Waves in the Aquatics Industry (February 2011)
Summary: Learn about the development and efforts behind the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

Title: The Model Aquatic Health Code: Cracking the Code (November 2010)
Summary: Seven exclusive and free sessions focused on explaining the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

Title: The Model Aquatic Health Code: Cracking the Code (October 2010)
Summary: A massive new aquatic code with the potential to revolutionize the industry is in the works. Here’s a sneak peek at the code — and how to prepare for what’s coming.

Title: VGB x 1,000? (October 2010)
Summary: For the aquatics industry, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act confirmed the worst fears about government regulation: It was carelessly crafted, poorly communicated, arbitrarily enforced and blindly implemented.

Title: Clarifying the Code (October 2010)
Summary: In the United States, there is no federal regulatory authority for disinfected recreational venues; all pool codes are developed, reviewed and approved by state and/or local public health officials.

Title: Coded Language (October 2010)
Summary: In the development of the Model Aquatic Health Code, one of the more challenging technical committees has been the group tackling lifeguarding/bather supervision.

Title: Cracking the Code (October 2010)
Summary: When officials in Charleston, S.C., heard that their state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control was going to start enforcing its lifeguard standard this year, they immediately closed half of the Martin Luther King Jr. Pool.

Title: Environmental Health: Model Aquatic Health Code in Development[PDF - 1 page] (October 2010)
Summary: Local boards of health and their communities will benefit from the establishment of the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).