---
title: Guide to the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) for Aquatic Facilities
description: The Model Aquatic Health Code was instituted in 2014 to create regulations for public recreational water venues in an effort to limit waterborne illness.
image: https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/hubfs/iStock-183045986.jpg
---
[About Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/about-us) [Blog](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com) [Resources](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/resources) [Sustainability](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/sustainability) [Contact Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/contact-us)
☰
- [Commercial Aquatics](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics)
- [Commercial Pools & Spas](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics/commercial-pools-spas)
- [Waterparks & Water Features](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics/waterparks-water-features)
- [Industrial](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/industrial)
- [Aerobic & Onsite Wastewater](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/industrial/aerobic-onsite-wastewater)
- [Food Safety & Irrigation](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation)
- [Fresh Cut & Packing](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/fresh-cut-packing)
- [Poultry & Red Meat](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/poultry-red-meat)
- [Irrigation Applications](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/irrigation-applications)
- [Beverage Plants](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/beverage-plants)
- [Municipal](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal)
- [Municipal Wastewater](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal/municipal-wastewater)
- [Potable Water](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal/potable-water)
- [Combined Sewer Overflow](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal/combined-sewer-overflow)
- [Residential Pools](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools)
- [Pool Care & Maintenance](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools/pool-care-maintenance)
- [Sustain Pool Care System](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools/sustain-pool-care-system)
- [Products](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products)
- [Accu-Tab Chlorination Systems](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems)
- [How It Works](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/how-it-works)
- [Competitive Comparison](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/competitive-comparison)
- [Acid-Rite pH Adjustment System](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/acid-rite-ph-adjustment-system)
- [Zappit](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/zappit)
- [Sustain](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/sustain)
- [Granular](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/granular)
- [About Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/about-us)
- [Resources](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/resources)
- [Sustainability](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/sustainability)
- [Contact Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/contact-us)
- [Blog](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com)
[](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com)
# Guide to the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) for Aquatic Facilities
Posted on January 11, 2017
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
Until 2014, there was *no* nationwide standard issued by a government agency covering the maintenance of public pools, spas and other recreational water venues.
If you work in the aquatics industry, chances are good that you may have been operating under confusing city or state regulations. For example, some states incorporate NSF Standard 50 as part of their regulations, while some do not. Others may not incorporate it, yet follow it as a guideline.
To address this conundrum, public health officials across the country teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create a standard, evidence-based code to provide clarity to recreational aquatics management.
## **MAHC-ing Progress**
Recognizing the need for more standardization, the CDC began work on such a code in 2007. This enormous effort culminated in the issuance of the 2014 [Model Aquatic Health Code](https://www.cdc.gov/mahc/index.html) (MAHC) as a guidance document for creating regulations and standards regarding pools, spas, hot tubs and other public recreational water venues throughout the country.
Another driving force to supporting the development of the MAHC was the rise of reported gastrointestinal diseases, waterborne illnesses (also known as recreational water illnesses, or RWIs) ranging from gastrointestinal diseases to wound infection and more. These ailments were on the rise for decades, while more than 30,000 children under the age of 10 visited the emergency department for all types of swimming-related issues each year.
In the long term, the CDC expects that the MAHC will help reduce the risk of outbreak of waterborne infectious diseases, fewer drowning incidents or physical impairments and a reduction in injuries from pool chemicals and disinfection byproducts.
While pools and other recreational aquatics facilities are free to continue using their own codes and standards, the CDC recommends that public health officials, aquatics facility decision-makers, operators and academia are encouraged to review and adopt the MAHC. Understanding its guidance can help operators make smart decisions about their aquatics facilities, including those responsible for pool disinfection.
**[Nervous about the MAHC attack? See how the Accu-Tab® system delivers chlorine in consistent amounts, based upon its unique and proven technology employed in thousands of aquatic facilities throughout the country.](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/how-it-works)**
**Note:** The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) is not a mandated government standard. Individual states, counties and local municipalities may choose to adopt it at their own discretion.
Topics: [Aquatics](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/aquatics), [Pool Disinfection](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/pool-disinfection)
[](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/rss.xml)
This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached.
Search
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
### Topics
- [Aquatics (22)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/aquatics)
- [chlorination (8)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/chlorination)
- [CleanSlate (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/cleanslate)
- [CSO (2)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/cso)
- [Food Safety (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/food-safety)
- [FSIS (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/fsis)
- [FSMA (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/fsma)
- [Irrigation (9)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/irrigation)
- [Mon Valley Sewage Authority (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/mon-valley-sewage-authority)
- [Municipal (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/municipal)
- [pathogen protection (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/pathogen-protection)
- [pH balance (7)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/ph-balance)
- [Pool Disinfection (5)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/pool-disinfection)
- [Produce/Fresh Cut Safety (5)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/producefresh-cut-safety)
- [salmonella standards (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/salmonella-standards)
- [Sustainability (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/sustainability)
- [Wastewater (2)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/wastewater)
- [water quality in the news (2)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/water-quality-in-the-news)
### Subscribe Here!
###### Applications
- [Commercial Aquatics](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics)
- [Industrial](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/industrial)
- [Food Safety & Irrigation](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation)
- [Municipal](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal)
- [Residential Pools](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools)
###### Products
- [Accu-Tab® Chlorination Systems](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems)
- [Acid Rite® pH Balancing Systems](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/acid-rite-ph-adjustment-system)
- [Accu-Tab® Wastewater Tablets](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems)
- [Zappit](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/zappit)
- [Sustain® Pool Care System](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/sustain)
- [Granular](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/granular)
###### Contact Us
- Customer Support
800-245-2974
- Technical Support
855-934-3570
- 11 Stanwix Street
(Suite 1470)
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
###### Resources
- [Keeping Tabs Blog](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com)
- [How It Works](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/how-it-works)
- [Competitive Comparison](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/competitive-comparison)
###### Follow Us
[California Supply Chain Transparency](https://www.westlake.com/csct) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.westlake.com/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.westlake.com/terms-use) | [Sitemap](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/sitemap.aspx)
© 2026 Westlake Water Solutions. All rights reserved.
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Accu-Tab News Team",
"url" : "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/author/accu-tab-news-team"
},
"dateModified" : "2026-04-14T17:03:49.126Z",
"datePublished" : "2017-01-11T19:00:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Guide to the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) for Aquatic Facilities",
"image" : [ "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/hubfs/iStock-183045986.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/guide-to-the-model-aquatic-health-code-mahc-for-aquatics-facilities",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/hubfs/Logos/Westlake-Water-Solutions-Logo-Web.svg"
},
"name" : "Westlake Corporation, Westlake Water Solutions"
}
}
```