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Recreational Water

The City of Amarillo has created the Public Recreational Pool Ordinance to protect our city’s public and semi-public swimming pools, spas, and public interactive water features (PIWF’s). The ordinance establishes a permitting and inspection program based on standards from the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 265, Subchapter L, and Subchapter M.

  • CONTACT INFORMATION
  • ehealth@amarillo.gov
  • Food Establishments, Mosquito Control, Swimming Pools, Complaints:
    806-378-9472
  • In-Person:
    Simms Municipal Building
    Suite 275
    808 S Buchanan St
    Amarillo, TX 79101
  • Mailing Address:
    Env. Health Dept.
    PO Box 1971
    Amarillo, TX 79101

Permits and inspections are required for all public and semi-public recreational pools, spas, and public interactive water features in the Amarillo Area Public Health District. This includes pools at hotels, motels, apartments, duplexes, trailer parks, homeowners associations, or any other pool open to the public. Single-family residential pools are exempt from permit and inspection requirements.

Recreational Water Laws Enforced by Environmental Health
Required Chemical Levels
Disinfectant Level Minimum Ideal Maximum
 Pool Free Available Chlorine 1.0 ppm 2.0 – 3.0 ppm 8.0 ppm
 Spa Free Available Chlorine 2.0 ppm 3.0 ppm 8.0 ppm
 Pool Bromine 3.0 ppm 4.0 – 6.0 ppm 10.0 ppm
 Spa Bromine 4.0 ppm 5.0 ppm 10.0 ppm
 Combined Chlorine None None 0.4 ppm
 pH Not less than 7.0 7.2 – 7.6 7.8
 Cyanuric Acid None 30 – 50 ppm 100 ppm
 ORP 600 mV 650 – 750 mV 900 mV
 Alkalinity 60 ppm 60 ppm – 180 ppm> 180 ppm
 Calcium Hardness in Pools 150 ppm >150 – 400 ppm 1000 ppm
 Calcium Hardness in Spas 100 ppm 150 – 400 ppm 800 ppm

 (Figure: 25 TAC §265.193(c)

Recreational Water Quick Links​

Recreation Water Image

Recreational Water Contact​

Contact the Environmental Health General Program Manager for questions about recreation water services.
Pool Maintenance Image

Public Recreational Pool Ordinance​

The City of Amarillo has created the Public Recreational Pool Ordinance to protect our city’s public and semi-public swimming pools, spas, and public interactive water features. Click to learn more.
aquatics - lazy river

Recreational Water Permit Application​

Permits and inspections are required for all public and semi-public recreational pools, spas, and public interactive water features in the Amarillo Area Public Health District. Click here to download the Recreational Water Permit Application.

Recreational Water Documents

Recreational Water Plan Review Guide
Equipment Change Form application
Violation Enforcement Guide
recreational water repair/modification document
Application for Voluntary Construction Compliance Inspection
Pool Checklist
Daily and Weekly Log Sheets

recreational water faqs

A public recreational pool is any swimming, spray, wading, or spa pool or public interactive water features used for public recreation, aquatic sports, or therapeutic purposes and open to the general public with or without a fee.

Environmental Health inspects pools to prevent the spread of dangerous waterborne illnesses and drowning occurrences, as mandated by the Public Recreational Pool Ordinance.

Recreational water facilities must close if:

  • Disinfectant levels are not within the proper range.
  • pH levels of the water are not within the proper range.
  • The barrier to the pool is not fully secure, e.g., gates/doors not self-closing/self-latching, holes in the fence.
  • Safety equipment is unavailable, e.g., ring buoy, reaching pole.
  • Drain covers are broken or missing, or any other suction entrapment hazards are present.

A semi-public recreational pool is any swimming, spray, wading, or spa pool or public interactive water features operated for and in conjunction with lodging (e.g., hotels, motels, apartments), property owner associations, private organizations, clubs, or educational institutions. It is open to occupants, members, students, and their guests but not to the general public.

A spa is a permanent or portable structure two feet or more in depth, with a surface area of 250 square feet or less and a volume of 3,250 gallons or less, intended for bathing or recreational uses. It includes hydro-jet circulation, hot/cold water, mineral baths, air induction bubbles, or any combination thereof. It does not refer to business establishments such as day spas or health spas.

A public interactive water features or PIWF is any indoor or outdoor facility maintained for public recreation, featuring interactive water elements like sprays, jets, waterfalls, dumping buckets, or water cannons designed to wet those playing in the water streams.

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City of Amarillo: Property Taxes Rebated Per Year by Agreement Type 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts of property taxes rebated per year over the last five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. There were no Chapter 380 property tax rebates in the first two years listed. The total amount increased slightly each year, with a more significant increase in the most recent year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Chapter 311 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$574,947 

$591,249 

$821,350 

Chapter 380 

$0 

$0 

$37,387 

$39,172 

$61,013 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the amount of property taxes rebated in the past five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. For each fiscal year there is vertical column, comprised of two stacked columns, each of which representing the different agreement types. 

City of Amarillo: Number of Tax Abatements Granted Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The 2020/21 and 2021/22 fiscal years each had four active abatements, 2022/23 had five, and 2023/24 and 2024/25 each had seven. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Active Abatements Per Year 

4 

4 

5 

7 

7 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the number of active abatements each year. Each year has one column, with the height indicating number of active abatements in that year.

Amount of Taxes Abated Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts abated over the past five fiscal years from Chapter 312 tax abatement agreements. Each fiscal year shows a larger dollar amount abated, with minor growth over the first three years, a higher increase in the fourth year, and minor growth again in the fifth year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Taxes Abated by City of Amarillo 

$510,061 

$623,017 

$679,849 

$965,261 

$1,143,899 

Total Abated by All Entities Including City of Amarillo 

$1,569,512 

$1,926,332 

$2,103,099 

$2,884,936 

$2,959,496 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount of taxes abated over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount abated. The bar representing taxes abated by the City of Amarillo is sightly offset to the side of the bar representing the amount abated by all participating tax entities for each fiscal year. This shows that the amount abated by the City of Amarillo is a part of the total amount abated by all entities.

City of Amarillo: Taxes Rebated Per Year by Type 

Overview 

This chart shows the dollar amounts rebated by the City of Amarillo from economic development incentive agreements over the past five fiscal years. Each year is broken down by rebate type, including property tax rebates, hotel occupancy tax rebates, and sales tax rebates. Each fiscal year shows a slight increase in total dollars rebated, with a more drastic increase in the most recent fiscal year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Property Tax Rebates 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$612,334 

$630,421 

$882,363 

Hotel Occupancy Tax Rebates 

$686,747 

$753,112 

$794,828 

$871,423 

$808,348 

Sales Tax Rebates 

$0 

$21,046 

$55,528 

$45,881 

$368,716 

 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount rebated by the City of Amarillo for each type of tax rebate over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. The different rebate types are stacked vertically in each fiscal year, with the height representing the total dollar amount rebated.