Perry County Health Department's (PCHD) objective of the pool/spa program is to assure that these facilities meet minimum standards of design, construction, and operation. In cooperation with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MO DHSS) the PCHD has established guidelines to promote safety and clean water quality in the Perry County pools and spas.

The following swimming pools are currently inspected by PCHD:

• Perryville Public Swimming Pools
• KOA Campground Pool
• Lake Perry Pools
• Hotel and Motel Pools

The Perry County Health Department will inspect each swimming pool and/or spa at least yearly and upon request. Educational and technical assistance is available at the MO DHSS website.

Pools, Spas, and Water Parks

Recreational water safety - Swimming is a fun, active, and healthy way to spend leisure time.

According to the MO DHSS, in controlled areas the biggest health risk you face is exposre to a parasite called Cryptosporidium parvum, commonly called crypto. This parisite causes a significant gastrointestinal illness approximately 7 days after exposure. Crypto is very resistant to normal disenfectants used in controlled pools and water parks and requires an extremely small dose to cause illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has technical bulleins regarding the safe handling of fecal accidents in pools and spas found here.

For pool operators and those inclined to search for answers to more technical questions, MO DHSS has compliled a booklet called "Swimming Pool and Water Chemistry". This booklet is excerpted from here and it is an easy to understand guide to pool and spa maintenance and disinfection. The "Pool and Spa" home page is also a valuable resource for numerous controlled bathing area concerns. Chemical balance and control in pools and spas is a very important factor in the prevention of communicable disease. These and other control methods can be found here.