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  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • At-Home Test Kits
    • COVID-19 Booster Information
    • COVID-19 Testing
    • Weekly Updates for COVID-19 Positivity Rates Within the Torrington Area Health District (TAHD) Jurisdiction
    • Self-Isolation and ​Self-Quarantine
  • Programs & Services
    • Environmental Health >
      • Healthy Homes
      • Lead Information
      • Asbestos >
        • Overview
        • Asbestos Abatement
        • Vermiculite Concerns
      • Beauty Salon and Barber Shop Licensing
      • Bed Bug Information
      • Building Conversions, Additions and Accessory Structures
      • Day Care Centers
      • General Septic System Information >
        • Steps to Constructing a Building with No Public Sewers or Public Water
        • On-site Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems
        • Repair and Replacement
      • Lake and Pond Swimming Areas
      • Noise Regulations
      • Private Water Wells
      • Public Swimming Pools
      • Radon Awareness
      • Soil Testing
      • Tattoo Salons
      • Water Testing Laboratories
    • Community Health >
      • Suicide Prevention
      • Opioid Epidemic
      • Bats & Rabies
      • Bed Bugs
      • Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
      • Communicable and Chronic Disease Program
      • Emergency Preparedness
      • Fit Together NWCT
      • Immunization >
        • Immunization Program
        • Connecticut Vaccine Program (CVP)
        • Connecticut Immunization Information System (CT WiZ)
      • Community Health Needs Assessment
      • Lyme Disease & Ticks >
        • About Lyme Disease
        • Tick Removal & Testing
      • TAHD Medical Reserve Corp
      • Travel Health
    • Food Protection Inspection Program >
      • Overview of Food Protection Section
      • Guidelines for Food Service at Temporary Events
      • Itinerant Vendor / Mobile Vendor Food Service Requirements
      • FDA Food Code Information >
        • Testing Organizations
      • Qualified Food Operator
      • Foodborne Illness Investigation
      • Preoperational Guidelines & Application for Food Service Establishments
      • Keeping Food Safe During Extended Power Outage
      • Procedures to Safely Reopen After Storm
      • Food Service Establishment Inspections
    • Local Regulations
  • Forms & Applications
    • General Forms & Applications
    • Food Service Forms & Applications
    • Fee Schedule
  • Contact
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Board Members >
      • Board of Health Meeting Minutes
    • TAHD Staff
    • Satellite Office Locations
    • District Municipalities
    • Needs Assessment >
      • Litchfield County Community Health
      • Executive Summary
      • Litchfield County Transformation Grant
    • Public Health Introduction Video
    • Employment Opportunities
  • News & Events
    • Newsletter
    • Weather Related Closures

Public Swimming Pools

Section 19-13-B33 of the Public Health Code establishes minimum standards for construction, safety and the operation of Public Swimming Pools. Pools and hot tubs at clubs, schools, condominiums, resorts, campgrounds and motels all come under the scope of this regulation. Pools rely on proper equipment operation, careful maintenance and close monitoring of the water chemistry balance to ensure a safe bathing environment for the public. 

During hot, sunny summer days when a pool is under heavy use, the demand for chlorine is high. Frequent checks are necessary to maintain the proper pH and chlorine residual so that any bacteria or viruses from the bathers are quickly killed. For that reason, the absence of chlorine residual in a public pool is cause for immediate closure. When the pool chemistry is correct and the filtration equipment is operating properly the clarity of the pool water should be excellent. 

A simple test is when a small black disk is thrown into the bottom of the deep end of the pool, it should be clearly visible from the deck. Cloudy or highly turbid water is a sure indication that something is wrong. The most common swimmer complaint of strong chlorine odors actually means there is inadequate levels of chlorine residual to prevent the combining of chlorine and organic matter in the pool to form chloramines which is what cause the odor. Chloramines are not effective killing agents and they irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Most operators have to periodically "super chlorinate" or "shock" their pool in order to eliminate chloramines.

There are 55 public pools in the Torrington Area Health District. Pools are licensed by the District and inspected frequently during the summer months. A complete facilities inspection is made by a trained sanitarian that includes the following:
  • The water clarity is checked and the levels of chlorine and pH are recorded. Pool water samples are collected for lab testing to ensure the absence of bacteria.
  • The filtration and chlorination equipment are inspected and checked for proper operation.
  • A review of the safety and first aid equipment is conducted and emergency procedures are reviewed with the pool staff.
  • The shower, locker and toilet facilities are inspected for general cleanliness and proper maintenance.
  • The decks, fencing, diving boards and general pool area are examined for possible safety hazards.


All public pool plans must be reviewed and approved by the State Department of Health prior to the issuance of a local building permit. The Torrington Area Health District also requires that new pools undergo a construction compliance inspection by the State Department of Health prior to opening.
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Torrington Area Health District
350 Main Street, Suite A
Torrington, CT 06790-5000
(860) 489-0436  Fax  (860) 496-8243 
Hours
​-Monday, Tuesday, Thursday- 8:00am to 4:00pm.
-Wednesday-
8:00am to 6:00pm.
​-Friday-
8:00am to 1:00pm.
 
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TAHD provides local public health services for the towns of Bantam, Bethlehem, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Middlebury, Morris, Norfolk, North Canaan, Plymouth, Salisbury, Thomaston, Torrington, Warren, Watertown & Winsted.
© 2023 Torrington Area Health District. All Rights Reserved.
The Torrington Area Health District is an equal opportunity provider, and employer.  If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form.  You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form.  Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@USDA.gov.