SPRINGFIELD – To help protect your health and safety in public swimming pools and at water parks, on Jan. 1, Illinois enacted new legislation that calls for swimming facility engineers, architects and contractors to be prequalified by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

There will also be a new fee structure for swimming facilities to ensure inspectors can respond to complaints and inspect public swimming facilities more frequently and in a timely manor. Swimming facility fees in Illinois have not increased in almost 40 years.

“The goal of the Illinois Department of Public Health is to protect the health and safety of the public from disease and injury,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck. “A new swimming facility fee structure will allow the department to conduct more inspections and respond faster when there is a complaint, an injury or outbreak of illness. Inspections help protect the public’s swimming safety, but will also allow swimming facilities to open quicker if they have to shut down due to equipment malfunctions, chemical imbalances or disease causing organisms found in the water. This benefits not only the public, but businesses as well.”