Filenews 17 July 2025 - by Theodora Nicolaou
With 38 votes in favour and one against, the House of Representatives approved the new legislation regarding the licensing and operation of swimming pools and the relevant regulations, which aim to modernize the legislative framework regarding swimming pools.
According to the explanatory memorandum, with the adoption of the new legislation, the Public Swimming Pool Laws of 1992 and 1996 are repealed, while new regulations are introduced, which will regulate, among other things, issues of operation, hygiene, safety and maintenance of swimming pools, and essentially repeal the Public Swimming Pool Regulations of 1996.
In particular, the new legislation defines the conditions for the licensing and operation of public and private swimming pools, which are divided into three categories, namely three main types of swimming pools depending on their use and technical characteristics, for each of which the requirements are differentiated, including the issuance of an operating licence. exercise of their supervision and control and the security measures applied.
In that regard, the first category referred to relates to swimming pools which are public use and high-risk and in which water-related activities are the main activity, such as recreational pools and sports pools. As regards the second category, it refers to swimming pools which are an additional service to the main undertaking and are of public use and medium risk; such as hotel and tourist accommodation swimming pools. The third category includes the rest of the swimming pools, such as swimming pools belonging to self-catering accommodation and swimming pools intended for private use and serving up to five residential units.
The new regulations provide, among others, for the following:
1. The requirements regarding the quality of the water of the swimming pools and plumbing facilities, the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the water, the sampling procedure for microbiological examination and the suitability of the auxiliary facilities shall be determined.
2. The circulation, purification and disinfection of water is regulated.
3. The qualifications and responsibilities of the person in charge of the operation of the swimming pool and the security personnel shall be determined.
4. Cleanliness and maintenance standards are provided for swimming pools.
5. Certain requirements are established regarding the behaviour of bathers for the use of the swimming pool and safety measures for bathers and visitors to the site.
6. The method of calculating the maximum number of users that may be inside and outside the swimming pool is determined.
7. Special regulations are provided for regarding the conditions for the operation of sports swimming pools.
8. The obligation to comply with other relevant health provisions is established.
As far as private swimming pools are concerned, the issuance of an operating license and supervision by safety supervisors will not be required, but a random check will be carried out. Therefore, the new legislative framework will no longer require the licensing of the operation of the majority of swimming pool cases, since it will be deducted from the relevant obligation.
Furthermore, according to the legislative regulations, the competent authorities for the purposes of licensing the operation of swimming pools are provided to be the municipal councils for areas within the municipal boundaries and the districts for any other area. At the same time, the requirement for the performance of electromechanical and health checks is provided.
On the basis of the debate held in the Parliamentary Committee on the Interior on the bill and the regulations, the Ministry of the Interior submitted to it revised texts, which included individual amendments, in order to make the implementation of the new legislation more effective.
Furthermore, at a later stage, a proposal was submitted to the Committee in writing by the Ministry of the Interior and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for the addition of a provision to the draft law under discussion, which stipulates that until 31 July 2027, the relevant building permit may be submitted for the purpose of securing a permit for the operation of a swimming pool of a licensed hotel or tourist accommodation. instead of the required approval certificate, for the part of the development that concerns the swimming pool in accordance with the provisions of the Law on the Regulation of Roads and Buildings.
In light of the above, the committee decided to amend the revised text of the bill submitted to the Plenary and voted into law, in order to introduce a special provision according to which for the purposes of securing a license for the operation of a swimming pool of a licensed hotel or tourist accommodation, the relevant building permit may be submitted until December 31, 2026, instead of the required approval certificate.
It is recalled that the issue was initially promoted with a proposal for a law from 2019 by EDEK MP Ilias Myrianthous, with the executive power subsequently submitting a bill and relevant regulations. So, given the promotion of the government bill in the plenary session of the Parliament for its passage into law, the bill that had been submitted by Mr. Myrianthous was withdrawn.
