As desert dwellers much of our time is spent in and around the pool. In the heart of the heat, Blossom Rock’s community pool is a popular gathering spot. With so many neighbors stopping by to splash and play, there are important guidelines in place to keep the pool open and the waters clean.
County health rules
Pool parameters at The Dutch are in line with Pinal County health code. Non-potty-trained visitors (regardless of age) are required to wear specific swimwear while in the water. For babies and toddlers, this includes a swim diaper plus rubber pants (with an elastic band around the waist and legs) to help minimize contamination if there’s an accident.
These guidelines are communicated to residents in person via our amenity ambassador team, signage and video at The Dutch front desk, and reminders on the resident website, and in eblasts. The Blossom Rock Resident Agreement for amenity use is included in the documents provided when a house is sold and is posted online for residents to review at any time.
Accidents happen
We know accidents are bound to happen. If you, a family member, or a guest has an accident in the pool, let an ambassador know ASAP. That way it can be properly cleaned so it’s safe for you to get back to the water.
It’s important to remember that not all code brown incidents are caused by our youngest residents.
Pool protocol
While it’s best practice for ambassadors to remind residents of the pool rules, it is not within their authority to single out residents. When there’s contamination (also called a “code brown”), if the ambassadors are not made aware by the parent or responsible party, it’s difficult to identify who caused the accident.
When feces are spotted in the pool, either by a staff member or resident, the protocol is to have all visitors immediately vacate the water. An alert bar is also added to blossomrockresidents.com to promptly inform residents of the temporary closure of the pool. Because the filtration system connects the tot and large pool, the entire pool area will remain closed until sanitation is completed.
Blossom Rock’s pool maintenance vendor is contacted to remove the feces and disinfect the water. Once chemicals are added, it can be 4 to 8 hours until it’s fully cleaned and ready for swimmers. The pool will be cleared to open once tests show that the water complies with the county’s quality and disinfection standards.
When the pool is back open, you’ll see a notification on the resident website.
Code browns have a cost
Each time there’s a code brown, there’s a cost for cleanup. The Blossom Rock Residential Association is charged $110 per service call to our pool vendor and about $50 to $75 for the chemicals needed to clean the water. On top of that, residents lose access to the pool while it’s being cleaned. In some cases, these costs may be passed on to the resident responsible.
Help keep the pool open
We all play a part in keeping the community pool open for use. Leave glass at home, keep food away from the water, follow the swimwear guidelines, and plan for frequent bathroom breaks to help limit the chance of accidents. Also chat with your children, family members, and guests ahead of time so everyone’s aware of the rules so pool play isn’t cut short.
And please be patient with your ambassador team. They want the pool to remain open just as much as you do, but they also need to follow the county’s health code to keep all visitors safe.
Share your ideas
We’re always open to fresh ideas and we value your feedback. If you have thoughts on how to minimize code browns and maximize the fun, send them our way.