The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), presents two quick guides available for use by local, state, tribal, and territorial health departments and pool and spa operators to understand CDC’s key recommendations for safe operation of splash pads and floatation tanks. These guides contain information from CDC’s 2023 Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), a voluntary set of guidelines intended to prevent injury and illness at public aquatic venues.

Floatation tanks are used as a form of relaxation therapy, during which people can float in an environment with reduced external stimulation. Splash pads are any indoor or outdoor installation that sprays or jets bathers with water and are designed to avoid standing or captured water in the bather activity area.

Access the guides by clicking the following links:

https://bit.ly/splashpadsguide OR naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/quickguide-August2023-splashpads-final.pdf

https://bit.ly/floatationtanksguide OR naccho.org/uploads/downloadable-resources/quickguide-August2023-FloatationTanks-final.pdf

Regulations and recommendations for operating both recreational aquatic venues are covered in detail in the CDC’s MAHC. Go to cdc.gov/mahc for more information.

NACCHO and CDC support the MAHC through the MAHC Network, a community of MAHC users, subject matter experts, and those interested in the code. Members will receive code updates and resources, provide input on new resources, and access webinars and other resources featuring the code and its users. Visit NACCHO’s MAHC webpage (naccho.org/mahc) to explore more resources and to join the e-newsletter.