Recreational Water Facilities

Gilmer County Health Department permits and routinely conducts compliance inspections of recreational water facilities in accordance with W.V. 64 C.S.R. 16 Recreational Water Facilities.  Recreational water facilities are bodies of water, under the control of a person, which has been modified, improved, constructed or installed for the purpose of public swimming or bathing which includes bathing beaches; swimming, wading, and diving pools; water slides, spray pools, lazy rivers, and wave pools; spas, hot tubs, therapeutic pools, hydrotherapy pools, and whirlpools; facilities operated by communities, subdivisions, apartment complexes, condominiums, clubs, camps, schools, institutions, parks, manufactured home communities, hotels and similar recreational and public facilities.  Private residential swimming pools and hot tubs are not included in this definition.  To obtain a permit, recreational water facilities must submit a completed Application for a Permit to Operate with payment of applicable fees to Gilmer County Health Department.  Additionally, new recreational water facilities must submit plans to the West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services for review; contact Gilmer County Health Department for further information on the plan review process.  Gilmer County Health Department may issue an operational permit following an initial compliance inspection.  Permits are issued annually and expire on December 31st.  Routine permit renewal does not require the plan review.

All recreational water facilities must be monitored by a Certified Pool Operator.  This operator may be used on a consultative basis and need not be present during all hours of operation provided that the operator may be contacted within thirty minutes, can be on site within sixty minutes and visits the recreational water facility at least weekly.