What is the Model Aquatic Health Code?

A model for public aquatic facilities

CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code, or MAHC, is guidance for preventing illness and injury at aquatic venues open to the public. Its scope includes design, construction, operations, and management. CDC identifies settings such as hotels, apartments, HOAs, membership clubs, schools, and waterparks.

The MAHC is not a federal law. It becomes law only through adoption by a jurisdiction, which may adopt portions, modify the language, or use it as a reference. Reading the model alone does not establish the rules for a particular pool.

Source: CDC: About the Model Aquatic Health Code

Start with the current edition, then the local code

As checked on October 19, 2026, CDC identifies the 2024 fifth edition as the current MAHC. Use the CDC edition page to locate the code and supporting annex rather than relying on an old download or a vendor’s summary.

For a facility review, put the model edition and your applicable local requirements side by side. Record which edition your jurisdiction references and any amendments. Ask the authority responsible for your facility about uncertain applicability.

Source: CDC: Current MAHC edition

Use it to ask better operational questions

Make a list of the records your team keeps today: water tests, equipment checks, staffing documents, and incident records. Give each record a location and an owner. This is a practical inventory exercise, not a complete MAHC compliance assessment.

Then check your actual workflow. Can staff find the right form? Can the manager retrieve a previous entry? Is responsibility clear when a result needs follow-up? A written procedure is most useful when it matches what happens at the facility.

Where a digital water log fits

SwimmingPoolLog helps staff record water tests and helps managers review them. Its current fields and features cover only part of an aquatic facility’s documentation needs. It is not a complete MAHC record system and does not certify compliance.

Before adopting any logbook, compare the fields and exports with your facility’s requirements. Keep supplemental records wherever needed, and use the source code for requirements rather than treating a software feature list as a substitute.