Ensuring MCSTs' Adherence to Proper Safety Procedures for Condominium Swimming Pools

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how are condominiums' management corporations held accountable for adhering to proper safety procedures for condominium swimming pools, including regulations related to water quality and chemical usage; (b) how is compliance monitored and enforced; and (c) in the event that pool users experience health problems due to inappropriate chemical levels or other safety breaches in a condominium pool, what recourse does the Ministry provide to affected residents.

The quality of water in licensed aquatic facilities, such as swimming pools, and the types of disinfectant to be used are regulated under the Environmental Public Health (Licensable Aquatic Facilities) Regulations. Licensees of aquatic facilities, including the Management Corporation Strata Title of condominiums with such facilities, are required to conduct regular water quality monitoring and comply with the stipulated regulatory limits for water quality parameters, including for residual disinfectant. The National Environment Agency (NEA) also conducts regular on-site water sampling audits of selected licensed aquatic facilities. For any contravention of the regulations, licensees may be fined up to $5,000 for the first offence and up to $10,000 for the second or subsequent offence.

In 2021, NEA, the Public Utilities Board, the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Police Force jointly disseminated a set of guidelines to help swimming pool operators, owners and their contractors verify the safe use and disposal of chlorine-containing chemicals for disinfection of swimming pools. The guidelines include establishing safe work procedures to facilitate pool operations and ensuring that the loading of swimming pool water treatment chemicals and preparation of dosing chemicals should, as far as possible, be carried out during non-peak hours.

Depending on the nature of the case, NEA will work with the relevant agencies and parties to investigate reports on the inappropriate use of chemicals or breaches in water quality in licensed aquatic facilities, such as swimming pools.