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Shared use swimming pools and DDASS rules
Who are the DDASS in France?
They are the DIRECTION DEPARTMENTALE DES AFFAIRES SANITAIRES ET SOCIALES and they have branch offices in all prefectures and most sub-prefecture towns in France.
They have rules for semi-public pools that specifically relate to pools that might be used by more than one family at a time. English pool buyers would benefit from applying these rules as they are custom designed for small pools that are used by several families at once.
They do not apply to municipal pools where the rules are even more stringent but they could be usefully employed by UK pool buyers that operate holiday lets on a similar basis.
What do they do
The DDASS, as they are commonly known, control the operations of establishment like public swimming pools in France
What does that have to do with my pool?
Application to Gite Complexes
Owners of gite complexes in Frances and those considering the purchase of a gite complex in France should be aware that a swimming pool that is to be used by more than one family at a time will be designated a public swimming pool (piscine publique) by the DDASS. The filtration requirements for water sanitation in these pools are very stringent and the cost of upgrading an existing pool to meet the DDASS requirements can be quite expensive. However a new 12m x 6m swimming pool that fully meets these filtration requirements can be installed at an extra cost of about 3000 euros for a 10 x 5 pool and 4500 euros for a 12 x 6 pool
Bluepools DDASS advisory service
Bluepools would be pleased to help the owners of gite complexes with swimming pools meet the requirements of the DDASS rules in France by giving free advice on the technical and cost implications of the DDASS rules.
EEC requirements
It has recently become clear that many gite complex owners are entirely unaware of the DDASS rules that are based on the requirements of the EEC commission
This issue is particularly germane to those who are considering the purchase of a gite complex by their pension fund now that the rules since 2006 allow one to do so. The upgrading of the gite complex swimming pool could be an entirely unexpected extra cost.
The Bluepools advisory service will help gite complex owners meet the DDASS requirements easily and economically.
What are these DDASS rules?
Rules cover 4 areas
The rules cover four areas and these are:
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Hygiene and Safety (Hygiene et Securite)
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Water circulation time (Circulation d'eau, temps de recyclage)
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Pre-filtration, pumps and filtration (Prefiltration, pompage et filtration)
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Cleaning the filters-hydraulic circuits (Lavage des filtres, circuit hydraulique)
Rule 1
Rule 1 requires a shower and disinfected foot washes to be provided and limits the number of bathers using a pool to 1 bather for every 2 square metres of pool area. It also requires a stringent testing regime to ensure water quality at all times.
Rule 2
The requirements of Rule 2 are quite complex - for instance a 12m x 6m swimming pool with a hopper may require 4 skimmers, 6 water inlets, 2 main drains at least 2 metres apart with 2 skimmers feeding a 63mm diameter pipe, 3 inlets fed from a 63mm diameter pipe and a 50 mm pipe from each of the main drains.
Rule 3
This requires pumps and filters that will purify the water at the rate required by the water circulation requirements of Rule 2. The most economic pump and filter system would probably consist of a two sets each consisting of a 1.5 hp pump and 750 mm sand filter - each set would be connected to 3 inlets, 2 skimmers and one of the main drains via the pipes described above. In broad terms the water in a shallow pool will need to re-cycled faster than the water in deeper pools but for maximum economy each pool filtration system will need to be designed on a bespoke basis.
Rule 4
This gives the requirements for washing the filter and flow speed limits in the hydraulic circuits.
What is the practical effect of the DDASS rules?
Main Impact
The main impact of the DDASS rules relates to pool built from swimming pool kits. It is extremely unlikely that any kit pool will meet the DDASS requirements and in most instances up-grading a kit pool to meet the requirements will not be economically viable because of the water circulation requirements. This particularly applies to the pools that do not have skimmers and just circulate the water through the ladders.
Multi-family use
If a gite complex owner allows more than one family to use the pool (including his / her own family) then it will be classed as a public pool. If the swimming pool does not comply with the DDASS rules it is probable that the owner will be stopped from advertising the pool and the guests stopped from using it
How will the new Bluepools advisory service work?
Free Report
Bluepools will provide a free report on the best way to meet the DDASS requirements either in a new pool or in the upgrading of an existing swimming pool. We will need photographs of the existing pool and the filtration equipment.