GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 687
Short Title: Clarify Laws Regulating Public Swimming Pools. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Ager.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 3, 2025
*H687 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT CLARIFYING THE SCOPE OF PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL LAWS TO EXEMPT 2
FLOATATION OR SENSOR Y DEPRIVATION SYSTEM S THAT MEET CERTAIN 3
SAFETY STANDARDS AND MAKING OTHER TECHNI CAL AND CLARIFYING 4
CHANGES. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. G.S. 130A-280, as amended by Section 4.51 of S.L. 2024-49, reads as 7
rewritten: 8
"§ 130A-280. Scope.Scope, definitions, and exclusions. 9
(a) Scope. – This Article provides for the regulation of public swimming pools in the 10
State as they may affect the public health and safety. 11
(b) As used in this Article, the term "public swimming pool" means any Definitions. – 12
The following definitions apply in this Article: 13
(1) Artificial swimming lagoon. – Any body of water used for recreational 14
purposes with more than 20,000 square feet of surface area, an artificial line, 15
and a method of disinfectant that results in a disinfectant residual in the 16
swimming zone that is protective of public health. 17
(2) Public swimming pool. – Any structure, chamber, or tank containing an 18
artificial body of water used by the public for swimming, diving, wading, 19
recreation, or therapy, together with buildings, appurtenances, and equipment 20
used in connection with the body of water, regardless of whether a fee is 21
charged for its use. The term includes municipal, school, hotel, motel, 22
apartment, boarding house, athletic club, or other membership facility pools 23
and spas, spas operating for display at temporary events, and artificial 24
swimming lagoons. As used in this Article, an "artificial swimming lagoon" 25
means any body of water used for recreational purposes with more than 20,000 26
square feet of surface area, an artificial liner, and a method of disinfectant that 27
results in a disinfectant residual in the swimming zone that is protective of the 28
public health. 29
(c) Exclusions. – This Article does not apply to any of the following: 30
(1) A private pool serving a single family dwelling and used only by the residents 31
of the dwelling and their guests. 32
(2) A private pool serving a single family dwelling meeting the minimum 33
requirements of this subdivision which is offered to, and used by, individuals 34
on a temporary basis utilizing a sharing economy platform. For the purposes 35 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 687-First Edition
of this subdivision, a sharing economy platform means an online platform 1
used to facilitate peer-to-peer transactions to acquire, provide, or share access 2
to goods and services. For the purposes of this subdivision, a pool must meet 3
all of the following minimum requirements: 4
a. Pools must have proper fencing and barriers to prevent unsupervised 5
access, especially by children. The fence should be at least 4 feet high 6
with a self-latching gate. 7
b. Pools must have clear and conspicuous signage posted around the pool 8
area specifying pool rules, depth markers, and any potential hazards. 9
c. Pools must be equipped with basic lifesaving equipment, including life 10
rings and reaching poles. 11
d. Pool decks and surrounding areas must have non-slip surfaces. 12
e. Pools must have properly fitted covers for all submerged suction 13
outlets. 14
f. Pools must be well-maintained with proper chemical balance and 15
cleanliness to ensure safe and healthy swimming conditions. 16
(3) Therapeutic pools used in physical therapy programs operated by medical 17
facilities licensed by the Department or operated by a licensed physical 18
therapist, nor to therapeutic chambers drained, cleaned, and refilled after each 19
individual use. 20
(4) Floatation or sensory deprivation systems certified by the National Sanitation 21
Foundation to meet the most current version of Standard 50 of the National 22
Sanitation Foundation/American National Standards Institute." 23
SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 24