R.61-51 (Public Swimming Pools)
South Carolina pool chemical log requirements
What a South Carolina 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
- Daily, or more often, while openR.61-51 J.17
- Keep the log
- 18 monthsR.61-51 J.17(c)
- Rules
- Public swimming poolR.61-51 (Public Swimming Pools)
1.0 to 8.0 ppm
7.0 to 7.8
no more than 100 ppm
Pool operation log (bound, numbered pages) · one month, letter landscape · columns for FC, pH
Sources (1) — every number above is cited
- R.61-51 — Public Swimming Pools (official compilation, Chapter 61) — South Carolina General Assembly / Department of Environmental Services
South Carolina is one of the few states where a missing or badly kept log is a closure trigger by itself.
The log must be bound with numbered pages: a loose printout is not enough — print the sheets and keep them in a bound log, or keep a digital log your inspector accepts.
Legal ranges
| Parameter | Pool | Spa | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free chlorine | 1–8 ppm | 1–8 ppm | R.61-51 J.14 |
| pH | 7–7.8 | 7–7.8 | R.61-51 J.14 |
| Cyanuric acid | at most 100 ppm | at most 100 ppm | R.61-51 J.14 |
| Water temperature | — | at most 104 °F | R.61-51 J.14 |
Testing frequency
Daily, or more often, while open (R.61-51 J.17). Chlorine or bromine and pH checked daily or more frequently during operating hours. Instrument monitoring may not replace physical sampling at the poolside.
- Cyanuric acid weekly (R.61-51 J.17)
What the log must show
- Chlorine or bromine and pH at each check
- Cyanuric acid weekly
- Initials at each reading, the pool operator's signature
- On a bound log with consecutively numbered pages
Keep it 18 months (R.61-51 J.17(c)). A bound log with consecutively numbered pages, initialed at each reading and signed by the pool operator, kept for the previous eighteen months.
What the inspector checks
- The bound, numbered log — a missing or badly kept log is itself grounds for closure
- Free chlorine 1–8 ppm, pH 7.0–7.8
- The operator of record's South Carolina certificate and 3 visits a week
When the pool must close
- Free chlorine below 1.0 or above 8.0
- pH below 7.0 or above 7.8
- Pool log not available or not properly maintained
- Temperature above 104 °F
Who may operate the pool
A valid South Carolina Pool Operator's certification; the operator of record inspects the pool three times a week.
South Carolina is one of the few states where a missing or badly kept log is a closure trigger by itself.
The log must be bound with numbered pages: a loose printout is not enough — print the sheets and keep them in a bound log, or keep a digital log your inspector accepts.
Log South Carolina readings on your phone
Every reading checked against the ranges above, the corrective action recorded, and the South Carolina sheet filled for the inspector.
Sources
- R.61-51 — Public Swimming Pools (official compilation, Chapter 61) — South Carolina General Assembly / Department of Environmental Services
This page summarizes the state code; your county or city health department may add requirements. It is not legal advice.