Maryland to Use International Swimming Pool and Spa Code as Minimum Standard

(Annapolis, MD) – Swimming pool and spa builders celebrated the passage of legislation that would establish a statewide building code for the construction of new swimming pools and spas in Maryland. House Bill 303, sponsored by Delegate Dana Stein (District 11, Baltimore County) and Senator Cory McCray (District 45, Baltimore City), requires Maryland to use the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) as the new minimum standard moving forward for building swimming pools and spas in the State. The ISPSC is currently being practiced in over 30 states nationwide, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Jersey.

“The Maryland Department of Health reported drowning as the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 4 and the third leading cause of death for children aged 5-14,” said Delegate Stein. “Most of the current laws and regulations for building swimming pools are over 30 years old and no longer practiced by the industry. This legislation will update the State’s current practices and modernize our approach.”

House Bill 303 passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House of Delegates and the Senate without opposition testimony in committee hearings. The legislation received strong support from the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the Maryland Building Officials Association, the Maryland Fire Marshal Committee, the Maryland State Firefighter’s Association, and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.

Alan Walker, Vice President of Anthony & Sylvan Pools and Maryland native, testified publicly in support of the statewide adoption of the ISPSC. “The statewide adoption of ISPSC pool building code is a win for the State of Maryland, contractors and customers,” said Walker. “This uniform level of code adoption allows pool builders to adhere to a uniform code, as opposed to different county-level codes, providing a higher-quality, safer product to homeowners. Maryland pool customers will also benefit from the most current safety developments in the timeliest manner. Anthony & Sylvan looks forward to continuing working with the State of Maryland for many years to come.”

The Legislation requires the Maryland Department of Labor to adopt the ISPSC as the minimum code for the State but specifically allows for the local jurisdictions to enforce and amend the code as necessary and, more importantly, correlate the ISPSC with their own local laws and regulations that are already established. The incorporation of the ISPSC in Maryland will follow the exact same process the State already has for most building codes in practice, such as the International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Building Code (IBC) which are enforced and amended by the counties.

“Baltimore City has utilized the ISPSC for several years, and most counties throughout Maryland also rely on portions of the code. If implemented, the ISPSC will seamlessly integrate into the State’s building codes. It’s common-sense legislation that will provide clear-cut clarity, easing the burden for businesses in the industry by providing a baseline code to follow, as opposed to a myriad of laws and regulations,” said Senator McCray, who sponsored the legislation in the Senate (Senate Bill 319).

For more information or to learn how to get involved, please contact Jason Davidson, PHTA Director of Government Relations, at [email protected] or 703-838-0083 x 165.

###

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with over 3,600 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $36.5B pool, hot tub and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge and profitability. Additionally, PHTA facilitates the expansion of swimming, water safety and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.