NSF International evaluates the performance, and health and safety of swim spas

by Sally Bouorm | March 1, 2013 10:22 am

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By Richard A. Martin

As public swimming pools, spas, and waterparks continue their explosive worldwide growth in popularity, the need likewise grows to maintain these facilities as safe and healthy recreational environments in every conceivable climate and setting. This remains a fundamental priority for everyone involved with the industry, from public health officials and equipment manufacturers to end users.

Aquatic facility operators and government regulators have long looked to independent experts for assurance that quality standards are preserved for each new generation of pool/spa materials, products, and systems. NSF International fulfils this important industry role every day, all over the world. Founded in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1944, NSF is an independent not-for-profit global organization that writes national public health standards, and inspects, tests, and certifies products for the food, water, and consumer products industries.

NSF International has served as third-party expert to the pool and spa industry for more than a half-century. At the request of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP) NSF was asked to develop technical evaluation standards for the testing and certification of pool/spa related materials, chemicals, and products. NSF/American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard 50: Equipment for Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, and Other Recreational Water Facilities was initiated in 1959 by a committee of industry stakeholders, including manufacturers, regulators, and users. It remains the primary standard by which most pool/spa products are evaluated, tested, audited, and certified.

Briefly summarized, NSF/ANSI Standard 50 specifies requirements for the material health effects, corrosion resistance, performance, disinfection efficacy, durability testing, design and construction, marking, and user instructions for many types of equipment and components used at a pool, spa and/or waterpark. The standard covers every form of pool and spa—both public and private—and every component, from pumps and chemicals to suction fittings and water testing devices. Equally important, NSF/ANSI 50 is in a constant state of evolution, incorporating the latest product and material test methods and regulations.

Who benefits from NSF certification?

Pool and spa users benefit from the increased quality of products and the safer bathing environments they provide. Manufacturers benefit as well, as certification helps level the playing field and provides the assurance that any certified product carries increased marketplace credibility and expedited regulatory acceptance. Health inspectors also benefit by knowing the product has met the rigours of an independent (ANSI) and Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accredited certification process performed by NSF International.

Recent years have introduced a number of additions to NSF/ANSI 50. Many of these start by working with an industry to develop evaluation criteria for specific product types. NSF can provide a certification to the specific criteria while it is submitted to the NSF/ANSI Standard 50 joint committee for inclusion in the standard. Recent developments include specifications for swim spas and flow meters.

Swim spa systems

In 2012, NSF introduced the first comprehensive specification to evaluate the performance, and health and safety of every swim spa component.

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The standards were created to meet the needs of the different stakeholder groups, most notably the public health and building officials, product manufacturers, and facility operators who were unsatisfied with existing industry standards and products that were considered inadequate for public-use spas/swim spas. The existing criteria were flawed, allowing the use of outdated plumbing materials, inappropriately sized steps, lack of slip-resistance testing requirements, insufficient water filtration, and circulation rates among other issues.

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The NSF criteria address these and many other important aspects of the evaluation and testing of these spas. The new specification, CCS-11804: Component Certification Specification for Public Use Spa, Swim Spa, Hot Tub or Related Equipment, combines elements of more than 16 national standards and test protocols to create one all-encompassing standard. It clarifies and simplifies the required testing and evaluation process for product manufacturers to better meet the needs of health officials and recreational water facility operators. CCS-11804 testing and evaluation criteria include the following:

Material evaluation

Verifies water contact materials meet regulations for corrosion-resistance and toxicological health and do not leach harmful contaminants into the water.

Spa shell integrity

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The spa shell is required to undergo chemical and performance testing to evaluate the unit for deflection, impact resistance, chemical resistance, durability, and strength.

Electrical safety evaluation

Confirms testing and certification of the spa system meets the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) UL1563: Electric Spas, Equipment Assemblies, and Associated Equipment.

Accessibility and safety features

Evaluates and tests the effectiveness of safety features including floor slope, floor-and-step slip resistance, step dimensions, depth markings, handholds, and railings via ASTM F462: Standard Consumer Safety Specifications for Slip-Resistant Bathing Facilities.

Performance testing

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Most of the equipment used in the spa/swim spa must be NSF/ANSI Standard 50 certified (or tested and certified to other criteria) for use at the spa system’s flow rate.

Filtration and water chemistry

Verifies the rate of water circulation and turnover to ensure they meet high performance levels. Further, quantification of chemical/supplemental treatment systems and water skimming capacity and particulate filtration systems to assure they perform at a high level and effectively capture contaminants from the water.

Suction fittings and systems

Entrapment safety tests are performed on the entire swim current or exercise system. This involves evaluating fasteners, ultraviolet (UV) exposure and strength testing of the suction fitting system materials, hair and body entrapment, and various load testing via in-position testing of the complete system.[6]

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These specifications were developed over many years by working with a leading swim spa manufacturer, component manufacturers, and public health officials to help specifiers assess pools and spas suitable for commercial or public facilities. Sufficient flexibility is permitted to acknowledge variations in functional design such as different water treatment and skimming systems, as well factory designed and built versus factory designed systems intended for on-site installation with a separate skid pack comprising circulation, filtration, and treatment system components.

In 2012, Master Spas’ Michael Phelps Signature Spas (MPRX 17 and MPRX 18) were the first to earn NSF International certification to the CCS-11804 protocol. In addition to testing swim spas at NSF world headquarters, an audit of Master Spas’ manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne, Ind., was also conducted to verify quality and control standards as well as to confirm only authorized materials and components are used in the manufacturing of the swim spa.

Additionally, as with any certified product, annual unannounced facility audits and periodic retesting will be conducted to ensure ongoing compliance. This procedure will be standard practice for all manufacturers seeking certification under the new NSF/ANSI 50 public spa and swim spa requirements when they are finalized and published in NSF/ANSI 50.

Flow meters

The ability to accurately and effectively measure water flow is critical to the disinfection, filtration, and maintenance of safe water circulation rates. This responsibility rests with the flow meter, which must operate efficiently to maintain flow rates within safe limits to help prevent entrapment from pool/spa drains.

In 2012, NSF developed criteria and certified the first flow meter for pool, spa, and waterpark applications. Fluidics Hawaii, LLC’s FV-C mechanical flow meter was the first to earn NSF certification to the new standard, which has been submitted for inclusion in NSF/ANSI Standard 50.

The requirements include evaluation to verify material safety, corrosion resistance, burst pressure, and durability, as well as flow meter accuracy under various conditions.

Flow meter accuracy is essential to maintaining a safe pool/spa environment for bathers. Early adopters of NSF/ANSI 50 demonstrate leadership in the recreational water industry.

What to watch for in 2013

As mentioned previously, modifications to NSF standards are frequent and ongoing, reflecting the steady evolution of the pool and spa industry. That said, several issues of interest are on the NSF dashboard for 2013 and beyond. The following certification criteria are presently under development or were recently finalized:

Chemicals

Testing and evaluation requirements for various materials (such as coatings, liners, etc.) and the many types of pool/spa water treatment chemicals that are in development.

Heaters

Evaluation, testing, and marking requirements for heat exchangers; heat pump and coolers are being added for natural gas-fired, electrical, passive, and solar-radiant collectors as well as cooling systems.

Variable-speed pumps

Revisions to specify additional pump verification tests, marking, and listing requirements for multi-speed pumps, and pumps that infer or estimate pump flow rate.

Ozone/UV systems

Evaluation and testing requirements for Cryptosporidium (Crypto) disinfection were added to NSF/ANSI 50.

Automatic controllers

Requirements related to interlock with the circulation pump were updated. Many companies are now pursuing certification of automatic controllers to meet new code requirements for NSF/ANSI 50 certification.

Water quality testing devices

Addition of requirements for the evaluation and testing of hardness, total alkalinity (TA), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, and other important parameters such as pH, free chlorine and bromine, and total chlorine.

Industry stewardship

NSF is dedicated to serving as a steward to the industry. Pool, spa, and waterpark-related certification is NSF’s second-oldest service area. Safety and integrity are hallmarks of the NSF’s role as it reinvests to further develop services and support to the industries being served.

By looking beyond the limited perception of pools and spas as a luxury, their unique health and fitness benefits can be acknowledged. Swimming is a critical life (and sometimes lifesaving) skill that builds strength and confidence. Water’s therapeutic and exercise value to disabled individuals and sports enthusiasts, to name but two distinct groups, is well-documented.

It is against this backdrop that NSF designs standards to ensure the safe use and enjoyment of pools and spas. True water safety incorporates everything from flow meters and deck surfaces to proper filtration and water chemistry maintenance. NSF sees its role as an advocate for raising health and safety standards, rejecting lowest common-denominator thinking.

NSF’s testing and official listings often provide important technical details of what products are able to do. This accurately communicates vital information to users, manufacturers, code officials, and facility operators to help them increase swimmer safety and enjoyment. Certification can often be tiered to further encourage manufacturers to begin and continue their journey to improved performance.

NSF/ANSI Standard 50, along with the certification process, creates greater differentiation in the market and draws attention to innovative companies with higher performing products. It also helps buyers find the features and capabilities sought by more demanding users.

Products that meet the highest standards of health and safety deserve a platform to demonstrate their superior performance. NSF certification showcases the early adopters and leaders in the pool and spa industry.

 

 

Richard A. Martin B.Sc., AFO, CPO is the business development manager of the recreational water program at NSF International’s world headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich. Martin joined NSF in 1994 and has worked in various segments of the organization’s water programs, including the ‘Plastic Plumbing,’ ‘Mechanical Plumbing,’ and ‘Municipal Drinking Water Systems’ programs. He can be reached via e-mail at martin@nsf.org[8]. For more information on NSF International’s pool and spa certification programs, visit www.nsf.org[9].

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