Public pool water norms in British Columbia
In British Columbia, the Pool Regulation sets minimum free chlorine levels (0.5 ppm for water at 30 °C or less, 1.5 ppm above that), a pH of 7.2 to 7.8 and an alkalinity of 80 to 120 ppm.
Last verified: official text read, then re-read by a second reader, on 26 September 2026.
The values
Regulation values only, in ppm as written in the regulation. For chlorine and bromine, the regulation sets a minimum only, never a maximum.
| Parameter | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Free chlorine, water at 30 °C or less, no stabilizer | at least 0.5 ppm | s. 10(2)(f); Schedule 3 |
| Free chlorine, water above 30 °C, no stabilizer | at least 1.5 ppm | s. 10(2)(f); Schedule 3 |
| Chlorine cyanurate (stabilized), water at 30 °C or less | at least 1.0 ppm | s. 10(2)(f); Schedule 3 |
| Chlorine cyanurate (stabilized), water above 30 °C | at least 2.0 ppm | s. 10(2)(f); Schedule 3 |
| Bromine, water at 30 °C or less | at least 1.5 ppm | s. 10(2)(f); Schedule 3 |
| Bromine, water above 30 °C | at least 2.5 ppm | s. 10(2)(f); Schedule 3 |
| pH | 7.2 to 7.8 | s. 10(2)(d) |
| Alkalinity | 80 to 120 ppm | s. 10(2)(e) |
| Cyanuric acid, if a stabilizer is used | less than 80 ppm | s. 10(2)(h) |
What this page does not cover
The province’s operating guidelines also recommend maximums, but they are not regulatory: they are not in the table.
The regulation applies to wading pools without distinguishing them for water quality. The table does not repeat clarity or bacteriology: read them in the text.
Source
- Pool Regulation, B.C. Reg. 296/2010 (Public Health Act), consolidation current to 22 September 2026 — Source: BC Laws —
www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/296_2010(Regulation)
To be confirmed with the authority. The official text prevails. These values are copied from the cited source as of the date shown; rules change, and a public health inspector may require more. Confirm them in the text before relying on them.
Tracking your water logs
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