Newport News, VA Swimming Pools & Spas: Fencing & Safety Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Public spas & hot tubs
- Standard adopted
- CDC guidelines, 1981/1985
- Not covered
- Private residential hot tubs
- Guidelines on file
- Office of the city clerk
Summary
Newport News adopts, by reference, the federal CDC's 1981 health and safety guidelines for public spas and hot tubs, covering commercial and shared units rather than a private backyard hot tub.
There is hereby adopted by reference in the city the publication "Health and Safety Guidelines for Public Spas and Hot Tubs," dated April, 1981, as revised January, 1985, published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia. Copies of this publication shall be available in the office of the city clerk.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Section 39-64 adopts by reference the U.S. Public Health Service's 'Health and Safety Guidelines for Public Spas and Hot Tubs,' dated April 1981 and revised January 1985, as the operating standard for spas and hot tubs the city classifies as public: units run by a club, hotel, gym, or similar operator rather than a single household. A copy of the adopted guidelines is kept on file with the city clerk. Chapter 39 defines a 'hot tub' separately from a 'swimming pool,' and the chapter's fencing and building-permit sections apply to public spas and hot tubs alongside these federal guidelines under section 39-6's plan-submission requirement.
Violations & Fines
Operating a public spa or hot tub outside the adopted federal guidelines is enforced the same way as other Chapter 39 violations: a notice to comply under section 39-5, with closure by the health officer under section 39-8 if uncorrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply to a hot tub in my backyard?
What standard governs a public hot tub in Newport News?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport News
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