PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is revisiting a recently implemented rule that requires children younger than 14 to be accompanied by an adult at public swimming pools during open swim periods.
In response to feedback from parents and caregivers, OHA announced it will adopt a temporary rule this summer that changes the requirement to a recommendation. Public pools will be required to post signs stating that OHA recommends children under age 14 be supervised by a person 18 years or older, rather than mandating adult accompaniment.
The agency also plans to launch a broader public engagement process this fall to gather input from parents, caregivers, pool operators, lifeguards, regulators and other stakeholders before determining whether to make the rule permanent or pursue an alternative approach.
“After hearing from parents and caregivers of older elementary and early middle school-age children, the Food, Pool and Lodging Health and Safety Program is proposing additional discussion with the community and regulated partners to gather more input, ensure equitable access to public pools and continue to keep kids safe,” said Gabriela Goldfarb, manager of OHA’s Environmental Public Health Section.
OHA said it will notify pool operators and local health inspectors that it is beginning the temporary rulemaking process to revise the required signage language.
The original regulation was part of updates to Oregon’s Aquatic Facility Rules that were formally adopted on April 1, 2025, following recommendations from a Rule Advisory Committee. The current rule states that children under 14 must be under the direct supervision of an adult age 18 or older.
Under the temporary change, pools will instead display signs reading: “OHA recommends children under the age of 14 years have direct supervision by a person aged 18 years or older.”
According to OHA, the age threshold was selected to align with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Model Aquatic Health Code, a national framework for aquatic safety. The agency cited CDC data showing that swimming pool-related deaths remain elevated through age 13 and decline beginning at age 14. Drowning is also the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death among children ages 5 to 14.
OHA noted that while the advisory committee unanimously supported the supervision requirement, much of the rulemaking process focused on technical matters such as pool equipment and water chemistry. As a result, public participation primarily came from pool operators and industry professionals rather than pool users and families.
“Given the technical nature of most of the rules, OHA typically gets participation from pool facility operators and builders, and not the community members using the pool,” Goldfarb said. “Going forward, when CDC updates its model codes, we’ll work to identify proposed changes that need community conversations to find the right path for Oregon.”
OHA is inviting interested residents to participate in the fall workgroup discussions. Individuals interested in serving on the panel can email pool.safety@oha.oregon.gov. The agency said it welcomes diverse representation as it evaluates future pool safety policies.
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