Recreational Water Inspections

Swimming is a fun and healthy way to stay physically active and spend time with family and friends. It is the responsibility of aquatic venue operators and owners, as well as local public health agencies to partner in providing a safe and wholesome experience for community members enjoying public aquatic facilities. In order to better provide services to Larimer County residents and to align with national standards, Larimer County Department of Health and Environment has resumed a routine aquatic venue inspection program as of January 1, 2021.

Inspections of public aquatic facilities are an important tool in preventing recreational water-associated illness and injury. Inspections will assess whether the operation and maintenance of a facility meet the standards set forth by state regulations. During inspections, Larimer County Environmental Health Specialists will work with operators to ensure that clean, healthy, and safe facilities are provided to the public.

As of January 1, 2023, inspection fees will be assessed to aquatic facilities including:

• An annual routine inspection fee of $280.00 for facilities operating throughout the year.
• An annual routine inspection fee of $175.00 for seasonal facilities.
  • Any additional bodies of water or aquatic venues will be charged $55.00 in addition to the initial fee. For exampe, an operator of a seasonal facility with 1 indoor pool + 2 indoor hot tubs would pay $175 + $55+ $55 for a total of $285.
• A return trip or reinspection fee of $75, required when significant public health and safety concerns are discovered during a routine inspection, resulting in the need for a reinspection.
• An additional fee for facilities with multiple pools or spas in the same location will also apply. 

Inspections will be completed twice per year for year-round facilities and annually for seasonal facilities. 

Pool Safety Tips

Along with being safe in and around water, it’s also important for swimmers to prevent the spread of disease. There are many ways germs can get into the pool water and make people sick, usually with diarrhea. Just one person in the water with diarrhea can make many others sick with things like:

• Norovirus
• Cryptosporidium
• E.coli
• Salmonella
• Shigella

Tips to keep yourself and others healthy:

• Do not swim if you’re sick with diarrhea
• Shower before getting in the water 
• Take regular bathroom breaks
• Use swim diapers on infants
• Check baby diapers every 30-60 minutes
• Kids who are potty training should go to the bathroom every 45-60 minutes

Forms and Resources 

• Larimer County Plan Review Application
• Pool Inspection Form

Swimming Pools:

• Colorado Swimming Pool Regulations
• CDC Guide to Keeping Your Pool Safe and Healthy 
• The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)

CDC Fecal Incident and Outbreak Response

• CDC Information for chlorine to inactivate E. coli, Hepatitis A virus, Giardia Parasite, and Crypto parasite
• Vomit and Blood in Pool Water