To receive the designation of “Approved Pool Operator (APO)” a person must successfully complete a pool operator course approved by the Division.

Pool Operator Courses

In order to receive Division of Public Health approval, a pool operator course must have an approved instructor and must meet all of the following criteria:

1. The course must be at least eight (8) hours.
2. The course must have an examination with a required passing grade.
3. The course must be approved by the Division prior to its initial offering and must cover the following areas:
   1. recirculation/filtration
   2. disinfection
   3. water chemistry (including troubleshooting/problem solving
   4. water testing (including water balance
   5. spa pools (high temperature)
   6. safety/facility management
   7. State of Delaware Regulations (if the course is presented in Delaware)
4. The course must have an accompanying text that must also be approved prior to the initial offering of the course.

(Rev. 01/02/2003)

Requirements for Approval of Pool Operator Course Instructors

Anyone applying to the Division of Public Health to become an approved pool operator course instructor* shall:

1. Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
2. Have at least five (5) years of experience operating a public pool.
3. Have a fundamental knowledge of recirculation/filtration, disinfection, pool water chemistry/testing, design and operation, safety/facility management (e.g. successful completion of an approved pool operator course).
4. Have adult teaching experience (e.g. proof of YMCA/Red Cross water safety teaching certification, NSPF Instructors Course, etc.).
5. At the time of application, notify the Division of the approved course they will be teaching (i.e. NSPF-CPO course; YMCA-POOL course) or provide the details for their own proposed course (i.e. detailed syllabus showing all subjects to be covered, a copy of the proposed text for the course, a copy of the proposed examination with required passing grade, etc.).

*NOTE - In order to maintain their status, anyone who is approved by the Division as an APO course instructor shall teach an approved APO course at least once every two (2) years.

(Rev. 01/02/2003)

Please visit our Regulations page to see the Regulations Governing Public Pools .