The purpose of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) is simple but critical: "to promote health, safety, consistency, and clarity," according to Wendy Purser, chair of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) Code Action Committee (CAC). “The ISPSC is the industry’s only comprehensive, enforceable model code developed directly from ANSI/PHTA standards and shaped by experts across different sectors.”
The CAC is currently accepting change request proposals submitted by pool, spa, and hot tub industry professionals — and other interested stakeholders — for the 2030 edition of the ISPSC. The CAC evaluates these proposals for their alignment with existing PHTA and other standards, as well as their effect on the existing requirements in the ISPSC. CAC’s evaluation serves to determine if it is appropriate to send the submitted proposals to the International Code Council (ICC) during the code revision process.
HISTORY OF THE ISPSC
The first edition of the ISPSC was published in 2012 by PHTA (then the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals [APSP]) and the ICC. Since then, new editions of the ISPSC have been published every three years along with the other I-Codes.
The ISPSC’s content was initially drawn from related sections of PHTA standards. Since that first publication, PHTA standards have also drawn from changes presented by the latest edition of the ISPSC, helping to ensure that both resources capture the latest developments in the industry.
“Harmonizing the ISPSC with the other major building codes produced by the ICC consolidates all pool- and spa-related provisions into a single, coordinated document,” Purser explains. “This makes the code easier to use, reduces conflicts, and streamlines the work of both builders and officials.”
Purser, whose family has been part of the pool industry for more than 60 years, recalls how manufacturers and builders often faced “a patchwork of state-specific requirements” before the ISPSC was developed. “A product that met one state’s rules might need to be redesigned for another, creating confusion, cost, and compliance risk,” she says. Now, when a jurisdiction adopts the ISPSC, it “establishes a level playing field with one consistent set of expectations for manufacturers, builders, and inspectors.”
THE EVOLVING INDUSTRY
Purser began working with the ISPSC for the 2024 edition and is currently involved in finalizing the 2027 edition. She recommends that others in the industry participate in the code development process to “ensure that new technologies, new products, and new engineering approaches” are reflected in the standards and codes that govern our work.
“Getting involved means influencing the future of our industry and ensuring the codes reflect real-world experience, not just theory,” she says. “Staying proactive is essential — not just for your own business, but for the good of the entire industry.”
In her volunteer role on the PHTA CAC, she “enjoys examining code proposals from every angle: manufacturer, builder, service professional, and code official,” Purser says. “Codes shape our daily work. Understanding how they vary across jurisdictions is a puzzle I genuinely enjoy solving.”
Purser highlights some of notable updates that will be included in the forthcoming 2027 ISPSC: more practical approaches to surge tank capacity and bather sanitation facilities, harmonization with Florida codes for multi-function pools and water features, improved alignment with the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), a clearer section on barriers, new references to the PHTA-2 standard for public pool and spa operations and maintenance, and a restructured section on aboveground pools.
“While we cannot predict which proposals will ultimately be adopted for the 2030 ISPSC, the direction is clear,” she says. “The 2030 edition will have greater clarity, stronger harmonization, and improved usability for the field.”
2030 ISPSC REVISIONS
In May, PHTA began soliciting public comments for change requests for the 2030 ISPSC. The CAC will review those change requests to determine whether they will be submitted to ICC by PHTA. As part of this process, PHTA communicates with those who submit public comments to inform them about the status of their submitted change request, to ask for additional information if that is needed, and to provide the eventual decision made by the CAC and the reason why the decision was made.
The agreement between PHTA and the ICC vests authority for the management of the ISPSC with PHTA along with a second code action committee managed by the ICC, the Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas Code Action Committee (PMGCAC). The PHTA CAC and PMGCAC work together, especially on proposals that may have an impact on other I-Codes. That cooperative work helps ensure there are fewer opportunities for conflict between codes, by considering proposals from different perspectives and giving the two committees an opportunity to review and revise proposed new or updated sections that may have an impact on their codes.
“The collaboration between the ICC and PHTA ensures code interpretations reflect both the technical intent and the practical realities of our industry,” Purser says. “This collaboration also leads to science-based, harmonized, and practical codes. When professionals contribute, their voices help shape safer, more effective standards — not just for the ISPSC, but for other model codes that often adopt similar language.”
The PHTA CAC will continue to accept 2030 ISPSC change requests through November 2026.
