Lifeguard requirement
Definition
A state pool-code rule requiring certified lifeguards on duty at any aquatic facility with standing water, which splash pads avoid by being zero-depth.
Lifeguard requirements are why splash pads exist in the form they do. By eliminating standing water, splash pads escape the pool-code rules that mandate lifeguards, fencing, depth markers, and water-chemistry logs.
This regulatory advantage is why most cities are converting old wading pools to splash pads — the operating cost per hour drops by more than half.