County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Environmental Health
5050 Commerce Drive
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Email:
ehmail@ph.lacounty.gov
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| RECREATIONAL WATERS PROGRAM |
Pool Technician Program
Any person engaged in the business or occupation of
treating or disinfecting swimming pool waters, or
cleaning, servicing, and maintaining swimming pools or swimming pool equipment and
facilities in Los Angeles County, must be certified as a Swimming Pool Service Technician or Swimming Pool
Apprentice Technician. This applies to both public and private pools. A Technician
Apprentice may only work under the direct and immediate supervision and employment of a
Swimming Pool Service Technician.
To become certified, an individual must
pass a one-time examination. To maintain the certification, the Technician or
Apprentice Technician must pay a yearly renewal fee thereafter. It is
recommended an applicant take a pool class prior to taking the
examination. Information on the
CERTIFIED POOL/SPA OPERATOR'S COURSE (CPO) and other courses are listed
below.
The certification procedure is as follows:
- Send in the application along with the appropriate fee
- Once an application is received and approved, a study guide will be
sent to you. When you feel you are ready to take the exam, call
our office at (626) 430-5360 to set up an appointment to take the exam
- The examination is normally administered once a month, always on a Thursday,
at our Administrative Headquarters in Baldwin Park, California,
The exam lasts 2 hours, please check in at 8:45 AM to register. You should bring a No. 2 pencil and calculator. Please
leave your cell phones in your car or truck. The examination
consists of 100 multiple choice questions and 65% is a passing grade
- Once you pass the examination you will be issued a certificate and
wallet card. Each year when you renew your certification you will
be issued a new wallet card
Examination
fees are non-refundable and must be taken within one year after payment of the fee. If
you do not pass the exam you must wait at least 30 days before retaking
the exam. There is a new examination fee each time the test is taken.
On the examination the applicant will be
tested for knowledge on the following:
California Code of Regulations Titles
22 & 24 regarding requirements at public pools, including:
- Disinfection, pH and stabilizer levels
- Safety signs and equipment
- Requirement of operational records
- Lifeguard requirements
- Clarity, bacteriological and chemical
quality of pool water
- General requirements for maintaining pools
clean, sanitary and in good repair
- Skimmers and their proper operation and
maintenance
- Required turnover rates
- Replacement of equipment
- Backflow protection
- Lighting
- Depth marker requirements
- Pressure gauges
- Flowmeters
- Maximum water temperatures
Understanding of the terms and concepts
of the following:
- Breakpoint chlorination
- Chlorine and bromine based products used to
disinfect pool water
- Methods of action of disinfectants in
clarifying and sanitizing pool water
- Advantages and disadvantages of various disinfectants, their
properties and effects on pool water
- Chlorine demand. Combined, total, and free available chlorine
- Alternate methods of disinfection and
treatment of pool water
- Balance of pool water. Total alkalinity, calcium hardness and pH,
and proper levels in pool water
- Other chemicals used in pool maintenance
including stabilizers, sequesterants, algicides, and flocculants
- Effects of corrosive and alkaline water
- Tests and proper use of test kits for measuring disinfectant
residuals, pH and other chemical levels in pool water
- Detrimental effects on health of improperly
disinfected and balanced pool water
- Pool chemical safety
- Pool filter types, capabilities, sizing,
cleaning and maintenance
- Pool pumps, basic design, operation, characteristics, and
maintenance. Pump curves
- Chemical feeders, their proper sizing, use,
and maintenance
- Supplemental equipment associated with pool
recirculation systems including, separation tanks, multiport valves, hydrostatic valves,
sizing of pool heaters, and ORP meters
How to:
- Calculate pool and spa volumes
- Elevate or lower pH, alkalinity, calcium
and stabilizer levels
- Calculate levels of disinfectant in part per million given a pool
volume and amount of disinfectant added
- Calculate minimum flow rates, turnover rates, and filter sizes for
public pools
- Determine total dynamic head of a pool
recirculation system
- Determine the flow rate from total dynamic
head and pump curve charts
- Calculate volume of water loss through
leakage and evaporation
- Calculate saturation index
- Calculate horsepower given, watts, voltage, and amperage
Additional Recommended Reading:
- “Basic Training Manual, Part 1, Chemicals”
Independent Pool and Spa Service Association,
Inc. (ipssa)
P.O. Box 15828
Long Beach CA 90815-0828
888-360-9505 ipssamail@aol.com
www.ipssa.com
- “Continuing Education Series, Pool
Chlorination Facts”
Independent Pool and Spa Service Association,
Inc. (ipssa)
P.O. Box 15828
Long Beach CA 90815-0828
888-360-9505 ipssamail@aol.com
www.ipssa.com
- “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About
Pool Care”
“Guide to Chlorine”
“Guide to pH, Alkalinity, Water Testing and
Water Balance”
“Guide to Alternative Sanitizes”
Service Industry News
P.O. Box 5829
San Clemente, CA 92674-5829
(949) 366-9981
www.poolspa.com/publications/sin/products.html
- “Basic Pool and Spa Technology”
various other publications
National Spa & Pool Institute
2111 Eisenhower Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 838-0083
www.nspi.org
- “Pool/Spa Operator’s Handbook”
National Swimming Pool Foundation
224 East Cheyenne Mtn. Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 540-9119
www.nspf.com
- “Pool Operator’s Manual”
Washington State Public Health Association
Other publications available
National Environmental Health Association
720 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246
(303) 756-9090
www.neha.org
Recommended Pool Classes:
-
Antelope/Santa
Clarita/San
Fernando Valleys
Blue Wave
Certification
Instruction
Two Saturday
classes
Instructor: Tom
Clark
(661) 250-5316
- Los Angeles
Russ Tucker Pool
School
Instructor: Russ
Tucker
(310) 218-6693
Two Saturday
morning classes
www.russtuckerpools.com
- Riverside / Anaheim / San Diego
2 day CPO classes
Instructor: Steve Donohoe
(949) 235-5888
www.AnotherPerfectPool.com
- San
Bernardino Area
Two Saturday
classes
Instructor:
Michael Clouse
Work (213)
485-4814
Home (714)
887-1106
- San Fernando
Valley
Russ Tucker Pool
School
Instructor: Russ
Tucker
(818) 998-7511
Two Friday
evening classes
www.russtuckerpools.com
- San Gabriel
Valley
National Pool
Tech Training
222 E. Foothill
Blvd
Monrovia, CA
91017
Two day training
course
(888) 609-0302
or (626)
303-3758
- South Bay
Russ Tucker Pool
School
Instructor: Russ
Tucker
(310) 218-6693
Two Thursday
evening classes
www.russtuckerpools.com
- Certified
Pool/Spa
Operator's
Course (CPO)
Offered at
various times
and locations
throughout
southern
California
National
Swimming Pool
Foundation
4775 Granby
Circle
Colorado
Springs, CO
80919
For information,
call (719)
540-9119
http://nspf.com
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