ADA Swimming Pool Compliance

March 15, 2010
Today is the day!  

Attention Hotels and Public Pools

Today is the first day that most public pools and spas must have permanent lifts, according to Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. Not all do now, but most will soon or face possible fines or lawsuits.

ADA stands for ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ and is a Federal anti-discrimination law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of a person’s disabilities.

Hotels and public pools not in compliance with the new swimming pool mandate:

• You may be fined $55,000 first offense and $110,000 second offense.
• You may be sued for Federal Civil Rights violations, which depending on the state you are in, may be awarded large sums to the plaintiff.
• Your brand could be tarnished.

Are all pool lifts ADA compliant?
NO! In fact, many lifts installed as recent as a few years ago do not comply with the 2010 ADA law. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the lift you chose is ADA compliant verified.  A manually cranked or manually rotated lift is not ADA compliant. In order to be ADA compliant the user must be able to operate the lift without assistance.

Who must comply to make their swimming pool/spa ADA compliant?
Title II and Title III of the ADA requires all hotels, motels, public swimming pools and most private clubs to be accessible at all times to persons with disabilities.

What is the easiest way to comply with the ADA requirements?
Portable Pool Lifts, such as the Patriot Portable Pro Lift have their own counterweights and are mounted on a wheeled base for easy transport to/from storage to pool. This type of portable lift eliminates alterations to the existing pool deck and allows the lift to be placed at any location around the pool.

See these ADA Compliant Pool Lifts for additional information:

1. Ranger Pool Lift (Mfg by Aqua Creek, permanent mount/installation)
2. Pro Pool Lift (Mfg by Aqua Creek, permanent mount/installation)
3. Patriot Portable Pro Pool Lift (Mfg by Aqua Creek, portable Pool Lift)

The obvious advantage of the Patriot Portable Pool Lift is it's ability to be moved to any location around the pool or spa and it can be moved away from the pool until needed.