Oregon softens pool supervision rule after Baker City concerns

Baker City pool operators helped push Oregon to retreat from a new public-pool rule that would have required adults to accompany children under 14 during open swims, a change with direct consequences for Sam-O Swim Center and other summer recreation spots. The Oregon Health Authority said it will now recommend, rather than require, adult supervision, a move that preserves local flexibility instead of forcing a statewide enforcement mandate.

Under the temporary rule OHA plans to adopt, public pools will have to post a sign saying the agency recommends children under 14 be accompanied by an adult 18 or older. That keeps the safety message on the wall, but it takes the hard requirement off the books for now. For Baker City, where a city pool can be one of the few affordable places for children and teens to spend a summer day, operators had warned that a strict rule could discourage families from coming in, complicate staffing, and create headaches over who could or could not swim.

The state’s original rewrite was broader than a single age cutoff. OHA formally adopted the updated aquatic-facility rules on April 1, 2025, after working through a Rule Advisory Committee, and the package covers pools, spas, splash pads and spray pads. The agency said the age threshold matched the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Model Aquatic Health Code, and it pointed to data showing drownings in swimming pools remain high through age 13 and fall starting at age 14. OHA also said drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14.

The rulemaking itself drew little public attention at the formal hearing stage. The presiding hearing officer’s report says the hearing on the aquatic-facility rules was held Jan. 16, 2025, and no individuals testified. OHA later said it heard more reaction after the rules were adopted, especially from parents, caregivers and pool operators who worried about how the new standard would play out on the ground.

OHA said it will hold a public process in the fall to hear from parents, caregivers, pool operators, lifeguards, regulators and others before deciding whether to make the temporary approach permanent or take a different path. Gabriela Goldfarb said the agency wanted more discussion to gather input, protect equitable access to public pools and keep children safe. For Baker County, the immediate result is narrower than the original rule: the safety recommendation stays, but the mandatory adult-accompaniment requirement is now off the table for this summer.