Ask Habitat: Should We Self-Manage Our Pool or Get a Pool Manager?

HABITAT ANSWERS: A swimming pool is the ultimate seasonal amenity, but running the pool and keeping it safe and clean for residents comes with its own set of headaches and expenses. Most buildings tend to hire a pool management company to take care of everything: hiring qualified lifeguards, maintaining chemical levels, cleaning and maintaining the pool, and keeping the facility up to regulatory standards.

That doesn't mean it's impossible to self-manage. But it's certainly a lot more work for a board and a property manager who have to find the time to organize work schedules for lifeguards, monitor chlorine balance, and change water filters, among other things. Here are some pointers for a board that's planning to manage its own pool.

Indoor/outdoor. From the outer reaches of Long Island and Westchester to the heart of Manhattan, there are plenty of buildings with swimming pools, and plenty of firms out there who will help you operate and staff them. Typically, Manhattan swimming pools tend to be indoors and combined with the building's health club, so running the pool is a year-round operation. For outer-borough buildings, pools are often outdoors and seasonal, and require more effort to open and close each year.

License to pool. New York State health codes require that every facility have a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) involved. Pool management companies assume this role, but a building staff member, board member, or property manager can get certified by completing the New York State Department of Health Water Treatment Plant Operator Certification Course Type A or B, or an approved course like the National Swimming Pool Foundation's CPO seminar. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has its own requirements for city pool operators and, while it no longer offers its own certification course, it does provide a list of approved courses on its website.

Guard duty. Which facilities require lifeguards? In the city, those operated by condos and co-ops have to have one on duty whenever the pool is open. In the rest of the state, swimming pools defined as "homeowner" pools — those operated and used exclusively by condos, cooperatives, or homeowner associations — can be granted an exemption from lifeguard requirements by their local health department, but it's still a good idea to have a lifeguard on duty in case of an accident. Be warned, though, that it can be difficult for buildings to find experienced lifeguards, especially when competing against city pools, camps, beaches, and water parks on Long Island.

Getting your hands wet. Boards that are self-managing their pools should work with their property managers to create a plan of action. You'll still need to hire a professional firm for opening and closing the facility at the beginning and end of the season, and a pool cleaner to keep things nice throughout the summer. Make sure that your super or property manager is a CPO and, then, try and figure out if there's a good supply of willing, reliable, and available lifeguards in your area. You'll save money on management fees, for sure, but also expose your building to greater risk if there's an accident at the pool that leads to a lawsuit.

Rules of the pool. If your board does decide to go with a pool management company after all, before soliciting bids, you should set some general policies, principally the hours of operation. The price difference between the management bids typically depends on the staffing levels and amount of supervision the lifeguards will have. Even pool management companies have problems with lifeguards not showing up for their shifts in the dog days of summer, so it's important that the company is supervising the lifeguards and can provide backup lifeguards on call.

Don't take a dive. One particular item boards should look for in the contracts is a section on violations. Make sure that the pool management company is responsible for knowing the violations and steering clear of them. In the event of a ticket, the pool management company should be responsible for clearing problems up and paying any fines.

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