RGCQ logo
FR

WATER QUALITY IN YOUR POOL

Qualité de l’eau de votre piscine
Requirements for safe and healthy bathing water!

The ministère de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MELCC) is responsible for the Regulation respecting the quality of water in swimming pools and other artificial pools (RQEPABA). This regulation governs the monitoring of water quality in bathing places such as swimming pools, spas and water games through the application of standards and control requirements.

A bathing place is subject to the RQEPABA if it is accessible to the general public or to a restricted group of the public. This by-law also applies to private artificial pools accessible exclusively to residents and guests of buildings (apartment blocks, condominiums, residences for the elderly, etc.) or mobile home parks.

If you belong to the type of establishments described above, it is up to you to follow the requirements of the RQEPABA to ensure the good quality of your water and protect the health of your bathers.

To do this, the Department offers many tools, accessible on its website, to assist you in your efforts. You can find all of these documents by clicking on this link : https://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/eau/piscine/index.htm



  • A leaflet describing the requirements of the RQEPABA;

  • The Operation Guide for swimming pools and other artificial pools;

  • An information sheet on good operating practices for public spas;



Two models of registers:



  • For managers of public or semi-public pools and private pools serving more than 50 dwellings;

  • For managers of private pools serving between 10 and 50 dwellings;



Posters :



  • Keep your little swimmers healthy! ;

  • Bathers, in the shower… inside with soap! ;

  • Bathers, in the shower… outside without soap! ;



 …as well as several other documents.

Video clips created by the Lifesaving Society, together with the Department and the City of Lévis, also offer a good overview of the requirements of the RQEPABA, of good management practices for a pool and of monitoring water quality.

In order to ensure the quality of bathing water in places accessible to the general public or to a restricted group of the public, the Department carries out inspections at bathing places to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Thus, it reserves the right to take all administrative or judicial measures at its disposal to enforce the regulations and to sanction any breach found.