April 16, 2026: How is the pool operator qualified?

Greetings,

I didn't expect to be talking about chlorine gas again this week (ICYMI April 8, 2026: Chlorine gas in Canmore) but just after last week's newsletter, there was also a chorine gas incident at a swimming pool in British Columbia.

Chlorine gas exposure at Victoria swimming pool sends 8 to hospital

We don't have any new details yet, but this brings about a question I've been pondering this week: How is the pool operator qualified?

Yes, as a Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) Certified Pool Operator (CPO) instructor, I could tell you that CPO training is the bare minimum for an operator to achieve an industry standard of care. However, I'm not naive that there aren't terrible operators out there who have CPO certification, and excellent operators who do not have CPO certification. This is no different from good drivers & bad drivers on the road: possessing a driver's license doesn't inherently make someone a good person or make them behave (drive) correctly!

Further to CPO certification, we could say a pool operator is qualified through documented on-the-job training and competency assessments. Yes, that's really important for performance and risk management, however this only quantifies a finite number of very specific tasks at a certain point in time. And if you've been around pool operations or aquatic facility management for any length of time, you know that every work day has a wide variety of unique tasks, including some that repeat very infrequently and others not at all, or change with new systems or equipment.

So then, when talking about how is the operator qualified, I've started to think about soft skills like behavior and personal characteristics. I know those are very hard to quantify, and something HR would tell us to steer clear of (it's too subjective and impossible to measure), but a list has been forming in my mind this week.

The pool operator may be qualified if

• they are resourceful, but fundamentally never unsafe
• they know what they don't know and can/will escalate a task
• they know who to contact when something is beyond their scope or skillset
• they ask "Why are we doing this?" rather than just doing something the way it's always been done
• they understand the intended function of system components, even if they can't directly maintain or repair every single piece of equipment
• they explain what actually needs to be accomplished operationally without hiding behind workplace jargon like "shock the pool"
• they distinguish between tribal workplace knowledge versus regulatory facts
• they look beyond a (limited) daily checklist and notice things that may evolve into problems
• they extract & use information accurately from reputable resources
• they follow basic "rules of the road" (safety parameters) and don't have specific black & white answers or strategies memorized
• they understand temporary solutions might get you through the day/week, but they are not a replacement for permanent fixes that are 100% compliant

This list is a living document and certainly not exhaustive, so hit reply and tell me what else you would add to this list!

After reading this article: No ambulance, low water level: Pune woman left paralysed in water park accident

I wanted to share resources WhiteWater sent out after a recent webinar I attended:
Printable Maintenance Tools
The Complete Guide to Water Park Maintenance

This does not supersede your own amenity/equipment manufacturer maintenance guides, but I am also very aware that some aquatic facilities in Canada are doing absolutely nothing to actively maintain or monitor their water slides and other high-risk aquatic amenities.

NEW! Anonymous Advice Column
People are always asking for help or my opinion, but sometimes they're too embarrassed to ask in the first place. I've started an advice column. Please feel welcome to submit any & all questions HERE without any judgement.

As summer outdoor pool season approaches - despite there being 8" of fresh snow outside this morning 😬 - the volume of aquatic articles each week in this section will rise until August/September.

Court Finds Uncomfortable Lifeguard Chair Is Not Physical Defect That Contributed to Drowning
Rather than laugh, I do think there is a bigger takeaway here: if there's a friction point where your team don't want to use existing equipment or follow an established procedure, and management knows this is regularly happening, alternatives should be purchased/provided.

Family sues Hayward for suction entrapment
The suit alleges "the drain cover was improperly rated to handle the flow of water." The more pertinent question in my opinion is was the right product selected for the application, i.e. engineered flow; Hayward is not the only manufacturer of anti-entrapment drain covers.

Aquaventure World issues 58,000 free tickets to UAE residents
I love to see this type of opportunity for locals, especially if tourism and occupancy is currently low; parks shouldn't sit empty, especially if there's a financial commitment to keeping staff on the payroll for the duration of the conflict.

Culligan Water Park enclosure delayed to late 2027 due to site constraints
I'm experiencing this with a current project: complex sequential work means that one trade stops all progress on the project until their work is completed. That's just the reality of pool operations.

WhiteWater exclusive water attraction vendor for Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks

Man, 44, charged over ‘voyeurism’ at popular Scots swimming pool

Disabled 4-year-old boy found face down in SoCal elementary school pool. Mother sues district
Respectfully, this is more than "near drowning" as there was submersion in a liquid.

Judge grants final approval to multimillion-dollar swimming antitrust settlement

NYC health department has questions about the floating pool set for the East River
And so do I!

Audit begins with Parrot Island Waterpark management firm

Pastor charged after man drowned during baptism

Michigan Supreme Court agrees to possibly consider South Haven immunity in drowning suit
"The point of debate is whether the the city's beach operations qualify as a "proprietary function," or "business-type activity," an exception to governmental immunity protections that would open up the city to liability in Chambers' death."

Norwegian Cruise Line Settles Lawsuit Over Bermuda Drowning Death
This is an update on the case discussed extensively last year:
August 29, 2025: Snorkeling is dangerous.

How a mother turned her drowned daughter’s passion into a thriving patisserie
We need to talk more about environmental drownings, such as due to flooding.

Port St. Lucie man with autism found dead in canal after delayed missing person report

What does it take to build a water park that makes waves? Designer behind Yas Waterworld extension explains
This tells me the design team genuinely thought about the milieu: “In the Middle East, family groups tend to be larger than the global average, so it was important to prioritise attractions that could accommodate multiple riders at once and be enjoyed together."

WSU closes pool, citing repair costs

Man told to close private swimming pool business

American Dream offers free theme park tickets to TSA workers

Lawsuit over 4-year-old’s drowning at Myrtle Beach hotel reaches settlement

Autistic girl who drowned had been dropped off with new childminder
Click here to read without a paywall.

Las Vegas resorts roll out new pool-season perks to boost summer tourism
The tourism sl0wdown in Vegas - and across the USA - has hit the notoriously $$$ pools and day clubs on the Strip.

Judge rules Columbia swim instructor lawsuit over zoning dispute can move forward

Young people can get free Grand Rapids pool passes: Here’s how

See you next week!

Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.