Pools

The role of Southeastern Idaho Public Health (SIPH) is to permit and inspect public swimming facilities and provide technical support and public outreach to the community concerning water illness and other concerns.

On November 20, 2025, the City of Pocatello passed Ordinance No. 3169, which establishes a new chapter of City Code (Chapter 8.04) titled “Public Swimming Pools.” The purpose of this ordinance is to establish health and safety standards for the licensing and inspection of public swimming pools and spas within the City of Pocatello, to protect public health, safety, and welfare.

On December 4, 2025, Southeastern Idaho Public Health (SIPH) entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Pocatello to administer the licensing and inspection program of public swimming pools and hot tubs/spas subject to this ordinance.

Under Chapter 8.04, operators of public or commercial swimming pools and spas are required to obtain an annual pool operation license from SIPH. These facilities will be subject to a routine inspection, and a permit fee of $375 will be assessed for each swimming pool or hot tub/spa with separate plumbing, filtration, and disinfection systems. License fees have been established by the local Board of Health in accordance with Idaho Code § 39-414.

All inspections will be conducted using the 2024 Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) as the inspection standard. The MAHC is a nationally recognized code developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help ensure safe and healthy aquatic environments. The full code is available at: https://www.cdc.gov/model-aquatic-health-code/media/pdfs/2024/11/5th-Ed-MAHC-Code-508.pdf