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AS 3979—2006

Hydrotherapy pools
Australian Standard™
AS 3979—2006
 This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee MS-051, Hydrotherapy Pools.
It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on 7 March 2006.
This Standard was published on 4 April 2006.

The following are represented on Committee MS-051:

Association of Consultants in Access Australia

Australian Physiotherapy Association
Department of Human Services (Victoria)
Prince Henry and The Prince of Wales Hospitals
Royal North Shore Hospital
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Swimming Pool and Spa Association of NSW

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This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 05261.

 AS 3979—2006

Australian Standard™
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Hydrotherapy pools

Originated as AS 3979—1991.
Third edition 2006.

COPYRIGHT
© Standards Australia
All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written
permission of the publisher.
Published by Standards Australia, GPO Box 476, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia
ISBN 0 7337 7365 6
 AS 3979—2006 2

PREFACE
This Standard was prepared by the Standards Australia Committee MS-051, Hydrotherapy Pools, to
supersede AS 3979—1993.
The objective of this Standard is to provide designers, specifiers and other interested parties
with design, construction and operation information to facilitate the standardization of the
hydrotherapy industry in Australia.
The term ‘informative’ has been used in this Standard to define the application of the
appendix to which it applies. An ‘informative’ appendix is only for information and
guidance.
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 3 AS 3979—2006

CONTENTS

Page

FOREWORD.............................................................................................................................. 4

SECTION 1 SCOPE AND GENERAL

1.1 SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS .................................................................................. 5
1.3 DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................ 6

SECTION 2 DESIGN REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 GENERAL .................................................................................................................. 7
2.2 POOL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ................................................................... 8
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2.3 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ................................................................................... 11

2.4 POOL CLEANING EQUIPMENT ............................................................................ 11
2.5 STORAGE AREAS ................................................................................................... 11
2.6 PLANT ROOM AND ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS ........................................ 11

SECTION 3 OPERATING REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 POOL WATER.......................................................................................................... 12
3.2 WATER QUALITY................................................................................................... 13
3.3 FREQUENCY OF TESTING .................................................................................... 14
3.4 POOL WATER TESTING ....................................................................................... 15
3.5 LOGBOOK................................................................................................................ 15

SECTION 4 SAFETY
4.1 GENERAL ................................................................................................................ 16
4.2 SECURITY................................................................................................................ 16
4.3 EMERGENCY EGRESS DOORS............................................................................. 16

APPENDIX A CALCULATING WATER BALANCE .................................................... 17

 AS 3979—2006 4

FOREWORD
One of the fundamental difficulties in preparing a Standard for the design of purpose-built
hydrotherapy pools is to ensure that the pool and its facilities meet the needs of all potential
users.
During the development of this Standard it was necessary to consider the general
requirements of all public, private and domestic hydrotherapy pools. It was not considered
appropriate to nominate specific materials of construction or all design features of the pool
as cost considerations, resulting from the insistence on particular materials and some design
features, could place unacceptable constraints on the construction of hydrotherapy pools.
Hydrotherapy pools are constructed primarily, for use by persons of all ages suffering from
a variety of conditions and disabilities, for the purpose of undertaking hydrotherapeutic
exercise. In some cases they may be used for the teaching of swimming to persons with
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disabilities. These pools may also be utilized for general exercise activities. Due to the
temperature at which the water is maintained, they are not recommended for intensive
swimming training or high-level fitness activities.
 5 AS 3979—2006

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
Hydrotherapy pools

SECT ION 1 SCOPE AND GENERA L

1.1 SCOPE
This Standard sets out requirements and recommendations for the design, construction and
operation of pools, and requirements for use by and management of persons whose
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conditions require hydrotherapy. It does not apply to small tanks that incorporate fixed or
rotating water jets with a water capacity of less than 7500 L or to small prefabricated
therapy/fitness pools.
NOTE: The recommendation of this Standard may also provide advice for use when designing general
purpose pools which from, time to time, may be made available for hydrotherapy purposes.

1.2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

The following documents are referred to in this Standard:
AS
1428 Design for access and mobility
1428.1 Part 1: General requirements for access—Buildings
1428.2 Part 2: Enhanced and additional requirements—Buildings and facilities
1668 The use of ventilation and airconditioning in buildings
1668.2 Part 2: Ventilation design for indoor air contaminant control
1838 Swimming pools—Premoulded fibre-reinforced plastics—Design and
fabrication
1839 Swimming pools—Premoulded fibre-reinforced plastics—Installation
1926 Swimming pool safety
1926.3 Part 3: Water recirculation and filtration systems
2610 Spa pools
2610.1 Part 1: Public spas
2783 Use of reinforced concrete for small swimming pools
2818 Guide to swimming pool safety
3633 Private swimming pools—Water quality
4276 Water microbiology
4276.3.1 Part 3.1: Heterotrophic colony count methods—Pour plate method using plate
count agar
4276.6 Part 6: Thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli—Estimation of most
probable number (MPN)
4267.7 Part 7: Thermotolerant coliforms and Escheridia coli—Membrane filtration
method
4276.12 Part 12: Pseudomonas aeruginosa—Estimation of most probable number
(MPN)
4276.13 Part 13: Pseudomonas aeruginosa—Membrane filtration method

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AS 3979-2006, Hydrotherapy pools

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