The Fayette

County Health Department wants to continue responding to health complaints

at all public pools.

But Peachtree

City and other municipalities in the county ­ must adopt an ordinance

that would allow the health department to continue that practice. If that

doesn't happen, Fayette County will have to abide by a state law that

would exempt pools in subdivisions, apartment complexes and country clubs

from the monitoring rules.

At last week's

City Council meeting, environmental health specialist Robert Kurbes said

without the ordinance, the Health Department wouldn't have any enforcement

power over pools that violate the regulations. Instead, the Health Department

would inspect pools upon request, but it would not be able to enforce

regulations, Kurbes said.

Pools in subdivisions,

apartment complexes and country clubs have accounted for a majority of

the complaints and concerns received by the department over the past few

years, he added.

"With

recent outbreaks and rashes of illnesses and injuries traced back to public

swimming areas, we feel this is a public health concern and we need to

do something," Kurbes said.

The new regulations

need to be passed before Dec. 31, when the state's new pool monitoring

law goes into effect, Kurbes said.

The new state

law only requires the monitoring of pools operated by hotels, cities and

health clubs, Kurbes said.

"It [the

state law] will not do anything to protect the long-term population of

Fayette County, Peachtree City, Tyrone and our other municipalities."

The monitoring

required by the state law would include overseeing the design of new pools

and the operation and maintenance of existing pools. If the new monitoring

rules are approved, approximately 75-80 facilities will fall under this

code in the entire county.

The new monitoring

rules were recently adopted by the Fayette County Board of Health, but

each city in the county should also approve the rules in the form of an

ordinance, Kurbes said.

The monitoring

process would help protect the public from illnesses and injuries in the

pools, Kurbes said. He added that he would be glad to meet with council

if there are any questions regarding the regulations.

We feel this

is a more concise, a cleaner and more public-conscious proposal for the

institution of a swimming pool inspection program," Kurbes said.

After the regulations

are approved by the Board of Health and the County Commission, Kurbes

said the city would be asked to make the document a part of its ordinance.

"We don't

want this to come as a surprise to you as we get close to the Dec. 31

deadline," he said.