Section 612. Splash Pads
612.1 General.
Construction and operation of any splash pad shall comply with this § 612.
612.1.1 Definitions.
In this Chapter, "splash pad" (also known as "spray pad", "wet deck", or "interactive water play feature") means any indoor or outdoor structure designed to allow for public recreational activities with recirculated, filtered, and treated water that:
1. includes sprayed, jetted, or other water sources contacting bathers, but
2. does not incorporate standing or captured water as part of the bather activity area.
612.2 Safety hazards.
All parts of the splash pad that can be accessed by splash pad users must be designed and constructed to not present safety hazards to the users.
612.3 Decking.
A deck of not less than 4 feet (1296 mm) in width must be provided around the perimeter of the splash pad. The deck must be sloped away from the splash pad.
612.4 Splash pan zone.
The splash pad zone must comply with §§ 612.4.1 through 612.4.3.
612.4.1 Surface.
Splash pad zone surfaces must have a slip-resistant and cleanable surface. The manufacturer of manufactured zone surfaces must certify that the surfacing is suitable for aquatic and chlorinated environments. Direct suction outlets from a splash pad are prohibited.
612.4.2 Slope and water collection.
Splash pad zone surfaces must slope to one or more drain points so that only water from the splash pan zone flows back to a gravity fed collection tank. The slope must prevent the accumulation or pooling of water and may not exceed ½ inch (12.7 mm) per foot. Drain openings in the splash pad zone surfaces that can be accessed by users may not allow a ½ inch (12.7 mm) diameter dowel rod to be inserted into the opening. Drain covers in splash pad zone surfaces must be flat and flush with the zone surface and must require tools for removal. The manufacturer of the drain cover must certify that the covers comply with the physical testing and finger-and-limb entrapment requirements of Sections 3 and 6, respectively, of APSP 16.
612.4.3 Nozzles within splash pad zones.
612.4.3.1 General.
Nozzles that spray water from the splash pad zone must be flush with the zone surface. Openings in the nozzles may not allow a ½ inch (12.7 mm) diameter dowel rod to be inserted into the opening. The water velocity from the orifice of any water nozzle may not exceed 20 feet (6.1 m) per second.
612.4.3.2 Nozzles not on walking surfaces.
Nozzles that are not on walking surfaces must be designed to be clearly visible.
612.5 Water sanitation.
The water sanitation must consist of the equipment covered in §§ 612.6.1 through 612.6.5.
612.5.1 Water collection and treatment tank.
A splash pad must drain to a collection and treatment tank. The inside of the tank must be accessible for cleaning and inspection. The access hatch or lid must be locked or require a tool to open. The tank capacity may not be less than 1,000 gallons or 10 times the number of gallons in a minute when all nozzles are operating simultaneously, whichever is greater. The volume water in the tank, at the design water level, may not decrease more than 15% of that volume when all pumps and discharge piping fill with water to the discharge points of all nozzles. The tanks must be provided with a means to empty all water in the tank for the purposes of servicing or cleaning.
612.5.2 Filtration pump.
The filtration pump must be sized to turnover the surge basin capacity in 30 minutes or less. The intake for the pump must be located to draw water from the lowest elevation in the treatment tank.
612.5.3 Spray nozzle and water feature disinfection.
Spray nozzles and water features must be supplied by water from the water collection and treatment tank that is equipped with filtration and sanitizing equipment required by Chapter 3 and this Chapter. Where separate water feature pumps are installed, controls must prevent those pumps from operating when the filtration pump is not operating.
612.5.4 Disinfection system.
In addition to any filtration and sanitizing equipment requirements of Chapter 3 and this Chapter, all water supplied to spray nozzles or other water that can be accessed by a user, must pass through a secondary disinfection system before discharge to the user. The secondary disinfection system must be listed and labeled to NSF 50 as having a single-pass, three-log reduction of cryptosporidium surrogate.
612.5.5 Make-up water system.
The water collection and treatment tank must be provided with a make-up water system that is supplied with potable water.
612.6 Operating instructions.
In addition to the documentation and instruction requirements of Chapters 1 and 3, the operating instructions for a splash pad must require that the circulation system be operated continuously for not less than 4 turnovers prior to operation of the pumps for the spray nozzles and other water features systems.
612.7 Lighting.
Where a splash pad will be in operation at night or during periods of inadequate natural lighting, artificial lighting must be provided in accordance with the same requirements for pool deck area lighting in § 321.2.2.
612.8 Toilet room and bathroom facilities.
Bathroom facilities for a splash pad shall be provided in accordance with all applicable provisions of this article, including § 1210 {"Toilet and bathroom requirements"} of the Baltimore City Building Code, and the Baltimore City Plumbing Code.
612.8.1 Exemptions.
A bathroom facility is not required if one or more of the following conditions are met:
1. a splash pad is recirculating and has health and safety information posted as required by this Code or other applicable City code or regulations;
2. a written agreement granting splash pad patrons use of bathroom facilities located in a nearby structure is in effect between an owner or operator of a splash pad and a person with the required authority to grant access to the subject bathroom facilities.