Ohio Administrative Code 3701-31 (public swimming pools, spas and special use pools)
Ohio pool chemical log requirements
What a Ohio public or semi-public pool must test, the legal ranges, what goes in the log and how long to keep it — every rule with the section of the code. Checked September 19, 2026.
- Test
- Before opening, then every 4 hoursOAC 3701-31-04(B)(4)(a)
- Keep the log
- 2 yearsOAC 3701-31-04(B)(5)
- Rules
- Public swimming poolOhio Administrative Code 3701-31 (public swimming pools, spas and special use pools)
at least 1.0 ppm · no maximum in the rule
no more than 1.0 ppm
7.2 to 7.8
at least 60 ppm
no more than 70 ppm
Pool chemical log · one day per page · columns for FC, CC, pH
Sources (1) — every number above is cited
- Ohio Adm. Code 3701-31-04 — Operation of public swimming pools, spas and special use pools (Cornell LII copy) — Ohio Department of Health (text via Cornell LII)
Ohio caps cyanuric acid at 70 ppm, lower than most states.
Our copy of the rule (Cornell LII) is the version effective July 25, 2024.
Legal ranges
| Parameter | Pool | Spa | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free chlorine | at least 1 ppm | at least 2 ppm | OAC 3701-31-04 |
| Combined chlorine | at most 1 ppm | at most 1 ppm | OAC 3701-31-04 |
| pH | 7.2–7.8 | 7.2–7.8 | OAC 3701-31-04 |
| Total alkalinity | at least 60 ppm | at least 60 ppm | OAC 3701-31-04 |
| Cyanuric acid | at most 70 ppm | at most 70 ppm | OAC 3701-31-04 |
| ORP | — | at least 650 mV | OAC 3701-31-04 |
| Water temperature | — | at most 104 °F | OAC 3701-31-04 |
Testing frequency
Before opening, then every 4 hours (OAC 3701-31-04(B)(4)(a)). Tested daily at the poolside deck before bathers enter the water, and every four hours; combined chlorine and pH on the same schedule.
- Water temperature daily (OAC 3701-31-04(B)(4))
- Total alkalinity and cyanuric acid at least once a week (OAC 3701-31-04(B)(4))
What the log must show
- Disinfectant, combined chlorine and pH at each test
- Temperature daily
- Total alkalinity and cyanuric acid weekly
Keep it 2 years (OAC 3701-31-04(B)(5)). Records kept on file by the licensee for at least two years.
What the inspector checks
- Two years of records
- Disinfectant above the minimum, combined chlorine at 1.0 ppm or less
- A working automatic controller on every spa
- Secchi disc or main drain visible
When the pool must close
- Disinfectant below the minimum (imminent health hazard)
- Automatic chemical controller not working
- Secchi disc or drain not visible
Who may operate the pool
No certification is required by the rule, but staff must be trained to perform and interpret the required onsite chemical tests.
Ohio caps cyanuric acid at 70 ppm, lower than most states.
Our copy of the rule (Cornell LII) is the version effective July 25, 2024.
Log Ohio readings on your phone
Every reading checked against the ranges above, the corrective action recorded, and the Ohio sheet filled for the inspector.
Sources
- Ohio Adm. Code 3701-31-04 — Operation of public swimming pools, spas and special use pools (Cornell LII copy) — Ohio Department of Health (text via Cornell LII)
This page summarizes the state code; your county or city health department may add requirements. It is not legal advice.