Recently, the Department of Justice adopted final rules relating to the provision of accessible entry and exit to existing swimming pools, wading pools, and spas (pools built before March 15, 2012). If you have not heard by now. . . the new rules required all public use pools (hotel, community associations, etc.) to conform with new ADA regulations. In essence, the entry and exit to a public use pool has to be handicap accessible (a lift). These regulations were due to take affect on March 15, 2012 but were postponed due to an outcry from small business owners because of the high cost of compliance in such a short period of time. Today the implementation of these same regulations were postponed again. However, the postponement only applies to existing pools, in which the compliance date until January 31, 2013. All new pool construction must be in compliance with the new ADA rules.
Hotels, motels and community associations with public use pools should consult with their attorney to ensure compliance with these new regulations (as well the multitude of other regulations pending or in effect). Non-compliance is always more costly than complying. A brief primer for small businesses attempting to navigate ADA regulations can be found here: http://www.ada.gov/in